An Angel's Freedom
by Darksummoner98
Summary: Inspired by Frozen's 'Let it Go'. Tifa has a secret, one that could make her a greater hero than Cloud Strife or a monster worse than Sephiroth... (Re-upload of the previous version)
1. Prologue

An Angel's Freedom A/N: I saw Frozen last weekend and when I heard "Let it Go", I instantly downloaded it and then decided to write a small fic about it. I really think Tifa would suit this song, except I put my own twist to her story. I had a bit of a writer's block when it came to the Fantasy Games so I decided to write this instead but I will be uploading another chapter to the other story soon.

I had to take out the lyrics because of copyright issues but the song inspired this fanfic.

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or the song 'Let It Go'.

It was well into the Winter season as the city of Midgar was covered in a thick blanket of snow. Barely anyone dared to brave the cold as there wasn't a stranger walking in the freezing night. Small shadows in the shape of dots floated over the huge layer of snow that covered the ground as the snowflakes floated towards it. The snow hadn't been cleared off the road yet so no cars could access the area around Seventh Heaven.

Tifa stared out the window of Seventh Heaven with a tired expression gracing her features as she dried a glass that hadn't been wet in the first place. She needed something to keep herself busy seeing as she had no customers because of the snow. The kids had been staying with Barrett for the week so she had no one to talk to or care for. Normally, her customers would keep her company, telling her about their problems in their drunken state and asking random questions about her life. Some tried to flirt with her but she never paid them any mind, just gave them their drink and moved on. She found herself blushing though when a particularly charming customer referred to her as the Princess of the Bar or as Reno had once said during an extremely drunken state 'the First Queen of the Seventh Heaven." It was good to have that kind of company, even though it wasn't the best it was good enough for her. The kids normally did their own thing together, whether it was homework or play, sometimes they liked to cook with her or ask her how Cloud was. She enjoyed their company and she enjoyed Cloud's when he was around. But he never really came home anymore anyway...

She felt tears sting her ruby eyes despite her efforts to fight them back as she thought of her childhood friend. She had given him everything she could offer yet it still wasn't enough and though she kept on telling herself that she accepted the fact, the pain that assaulted her heart every time she thought of it still remained. She couldn't take much more of the pain, the stress... her heart couldn't take much more...

The sound of cracking and glass shattering resounded in her ears and caught her attention. A single tear fell as she turned her eyes downwards. Glass shards lay sprawled around her feet along with a red liquid substance that was dripping from her left hand. She inhaled a sharp breath as she stared at the shards stuck in her palm, not because of the pain but because she'd done it again...

She picked the glass out, ignoring the small pain she felt before looking around the empty bar cautiously. It was stupid really, she knew no one was there, no had been in for the past few nights because of the snow but she couldn't take risks, especially not now. Digging into her back pocket, her hand closed around a small spherical shaped object and she gently took it out. She pressed the master spell materia into her skin quickly and cast cure on her hand, watching as the skin healed quickly. Quicker than it ever healed before...

Her breathing came quicker as her brow creased in worry while she tried to get the materia out of her arm. She shouldn't have tried it, she should've just put it in the materia slot on her glove like any normal person would do but she didn't have them in her back pocket. They were somewhere else in her cluttered house.

Her nimble fingers nervously shook as she tried clawing at the soft skin of her wrist however she halted her movements when she sensed something fall to the floor. She looked down, praying to Aerith that the feather on the floor was just a trick of her mind, but it wasn't. It lay there, almost innocently, with its jet black body and red tips shining in the false light of the room.

Sweat gathered on her forehead as she suddenly felt light-headed and dizzy. She grabbed onto the counter for support, feeling more tears sting her eyes as she felt her walls slowly breaking and crumbling to join the feathers now gathering at her feet. Why was this happening now? She had tried so hard, worked so hard to keep control. She had tried to be the perfect girl, pretty, strong, positive and hard-working but above all motherly... but no one, not even Cloud knew the darker side of her. The side she had concealed for seven years, concealed since the day at the reactor...

She was sure they knew that she was hiding something, she would always lock the bathroom door when showering and never wore anything that exposed her back. Marlene definitely knew, she had questioned her guardian about her strange nervous behaviour that had slowly been getting worse over the months. She had been fine until the episode with geostigma had brought it all back. She had had everything under control, she had figured it all out but seeing_ him_ again...

Her control had just slipped.

She stumbled over to the door, taking her leather vest off exposing her white strapped top in an attempt to cool down. It was too warm yet her back was freezing as was the ugly scar that ran along her chest.

She should've known better, she never should've attacked him, but she had been blinded by anger and hatred, her thirst for vengeance had been too strong. She could never have known his sword had been covered in Jenova's cells from where he had cut himself beforehand. She could never have stopped the infection from triggering a fault in her genetic make up..

She couldn't hold back the tears now, they flowed freely down her face as she walked barefoot through the snow. The cold was soothing, it made her feel human, it reminded her that she could truly feel. The sound of the door slamming behind her echoed through the empty streets as she fell onto her knees in the deep snow. She curled over, letting her tears and sobs go, she had held them in for seven years, she deserved to let them go; there was no there to see her.

There was no one there to see her. She was completely alone... maybe she could do it... just for a minute, maybe she could just let go for one minute. It couldn't hurt it might even help her problems. Who said she might not feel better after it? She could do with a bit of stress relief right about now; business hadn't been doing too well and the bills were due soon...

The sound of a pillow exploding resounded through her ears as feathers fluttered to the ground, floating slowly to land on the snow. She had never shown anyone her secret and she would never let anyone see but sometimes she just needed to go wild.

She felt her wing catch the wind as she complied with her inner wants and needs, jumping up from the ground and allowing her wing to support her in the air. The snow continued to fall, it's flakes catching in her long hair and wing but she didn't mind, she didn't feel the cold not when she was like this.

She flew higher and higher, twirling in the air and catching some snow on her tongue. Looking down, the destroyed city seemed so small and vulnerable, just as she had felt. She had felt like she was a monster, no better than Sephiroth. She was the same creature after all, born in the same way and discovered her mother's pregnancy's dark secret just as he had.

Except she hadn't gone insane, she had been scared but she'd controlled it when she found the details of Project Lockhart. She had hidden the documents from Cloud when they were searching the mansion's basement for Sephiroth and she had tested her theory that night.

She hadn't known what to do that night in her bedroom, back dripping blood from her first time sprouting her wing and feathers damp from the red liquid lying bout the floor. She remembered crying her eyes out and covering all the mirrors, not wanting to see the monster she had become... No, the monster she had always been. She had lied to her friends, saying she didn't feel well and not opening the door to her room. Aerith had tried to help her, offering her healing magic since she thought Tifa had been sick but the fighter had let no one in.

After three days and nights of tears, fear and rage she had strengthened her resolve to conceal her wing and her secret.

But now as she was up in the air though, high above the humans of the world, she felt free, free of responsibility and free of her fears. A smile crept onto her face as she twirled and dived through the clouds, cutting through the falling snow faster than a bullet. Why had she ever tried to contain the freedom of flying?

She had never opened her wing since that night, she had been too scared to. She had learned to purposefully ignore it, making sure her eyes never saw the ugly scar on her back and making sure no one else would either. Her fingers never touched it and her long hair always hid it from her view when she was in the shower. She knew she could never completely forget it was there but that didn't stop her from trying.

The effort of forgetting it also made her overlook the fact that she perhaps she could do some amazing things with it, like what she was doing now. When she thought of angels, she pictured glowing, majestic creatures with beautiful pure white wings and halos flying through the sky. She was far from an angel and she knew it but flying for the first time, really testing her skills, it made her feel just a tiny bit closer to heaven.

Growing bold she flew down, directly onto the streets and trailed her finger along the snow covered roads as she flew a few centimetres above it. Returning to the sky, she spiralled upwards, hair whipping and clothes flapping in the wind. She stopped flapping her wing, closing it around her body as she let herself free fall, enjoying the adrenaline rush as a child would enjoy the feeling of disobeying its parents.

She shouldn't love it, she should be punishing herself for giving into her desires, for being so carefree, but it just felt so good.

Her energy never drained as she twirled shooting fire from her hands in a display of magnificent fiery light. Its colour reminded her of Reno, the Turk that was now working so hard to rebuild Shinra with his comrades. He called into her bar every now and again, he claimed it was because she had the best beer but she knew that wasn't the reason. She felt that he knew about the troubles that was going on with her family and business, she needed all the customers she could get.

Normally when she thought about her dying business or the strain on her family, she'd cry and curl into a protective ball when she was alone. She'd never cry in front of the children or any of her customers, she had to be strong for them. She wanted to be strong like Cloud, he had always kept the, going and had been the bravest leader they ever could have asked for. It was one of the reasons she loved him.

But now she felt stronger than ever, she felt stronger than Cloud. Genetically, it was more likely that she would be stronger. It was true Cloud had reacted to Jenova cells but that was when he had been a teenager, she had had them her whole life and when Sephiroth had sliced her with his masamune all those years ago, that was when they had started to really come alive. Her wing had not appeared but when she had awoken in Midgar, she had felt stronger and better. The doctors had been amazed she even survived the incident, no one had ever survived a blow from Sephiroth's masamune. But her strength had helped her survive and it would help her fight back her tears.

She vowed she'd never cry again.

She felt as though she could break titanium or she could lift the Shinra building with one hand as lightning circled her body, sprouting from the materia in her wrist. She didn't care who saw her, she wasn't hurting anyone, she was just having fun. The joy that escaped her cracked heart seemed to fill in those cracks and give her the confidence to take on the world. Who said she couldn't?

She had never felt so powerful in her life, even when she was fully powered for her limit break 'final heaven'. It was ironic how she was more of a demon than an angel and yet her limit break was to do with heaven. She found it more ironic that her ultimate weapon was called 'premium heart' and monsters don't usually have any.

But that was in the past, she always thought she was a monster but now she was coming to realise that it wasn't what you were that made you a monster, it was what you did. Sephiroth was a monster because he slaughtered an entire town and tried to destroy the universe, she wasn't. She had stopped Sephiroth and she had never hurt anyone. Her DNA prevented her from being classified as an angel of heaven but she could damn well try to be one.

She would take on the world, she'd grow her business, she'd hire entertainment to attract customers. She'd hire help so she could spend more time with her children. She liked the sound of that; _her_ children. Well they were hers, she took care of them and she did it mostly without a father. She knew Cloud wasn't doing deliveries, there were no more phone calls for him but that was his problem. She loved her childhood friend with all her heart but it was time to move on. She was twenty-three now and she would not wait for the one man for all of her life. It was about time she let go of the past and embraced her future.

Laughter full of joy escaped her as an aero spell escaped her lips and sent her shooting upwards, leaving the world below behind. She couldn't remember the last time she laughed out loud. The only time she ever really laughed was when she spent good quality time with Denzel and Marlene or when Reno messed up one of his corny jokes when he was half-drunk. She loved the feeling and she would make the most of it, she'd face anyone who tried to stop her.

For years she had concealed this side of her, she'd tried to be the best friend, the shoulder to lean on, the pillar of support but no more. She couldn't hold up everyone's problems, of course she would try to help them but she would take care of her own first. She wouldn't go back to being the barmaid who hid her emotions from the world or covered everything up with a fake laugh and smile. She would produce real smiles and real laughter, she'd do things her way, the way she considered to be right. It was time for a new Tifa Lockhart to shine.

She wrapped her wing around her body, falling as fast as a bullet towards the Shinra building and opening her body at the last second so she could land with a safe thump on the roof. It had the best view of Midgar in the world and she'd be long gone before anyone found her there. The old Tifa Lockhart would've been more cautious but this new one knew there wasn't much to worry about, she'd just enjoy the moment.

She felt so powerful as she played with a small ball of flare between her fingers, watching as the non-elemental magic danced along her nails and curled around her pale skin, like a snake that obeyed her entirely. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this free and happy. No one would bring her down ever again. She would make sure of that.

She laughed out loud once more, not caring who heard her. She probably looked like a maniac, out in the cold in nothing but shorts and top that covered noting except for her midsection with a red and black wing protruding from her back. But she didn't care, she would let them think what they liked, it didn't bother her, she wouldn't let it bother her.

She cast an eye to the horizon, seeing the sun begin to peak out over the hills. She sighed contently feeling the need for a nice nap but grinned like a Cheshire Cat as one last idea crept into her mind. She sprinted towards the edge of the roof like an excited school kid as she jumped off, diving over the edge and pulling up at the last second before continuing to fly home. She never saw the figure, hidden in the shadows cast by the large helicopter, watch her beautiful performance with an unidentifiable emotion glittering in his greedy eyes.


	2. Eleven Months

**A/N: An Angel's Freedom was originally supposed to be a One-Shot centring around Tifa but I left it at a bit of a cliffhanger and then I kept having ideas about how to continue the story. I plan to update this and publish the sequel to the Fantasy Games so updates might be a bit slow, sorry.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Final Fantasy VII belongs to Square Enix.**

* * *

Chapter One: Eleven Months

The doors to the musty old Church swung open easily as the young man walked through, head bent and face a stony mask. The only sound to be heard in the holy place that was dominated by nature was the man's heavy footsteps and the metallic clatter of the sword hitting the his back with every step he took. Though his face was void of any emotion, his eyes showed concern, anxiety and sorrow but most of all guilt.

His footsteps stopped suddenly as he reached the edge of the lake, Aerith's lake, where the last of the children had been cured of geostigma. That disaster seemed as if it had happened a lifetime ago and was now a fading nightmare however he knew it had only happened months ago.

He could remember the day so well, waking up in the lake, surrounded by smiling faces, cleansing Denzel, watching him smile up at Tifa while she smiled back, pure happiness running through those chocolate eyes of hers. He remembered her smiling at him, all of his problems fading away along with Aerith and Zack now that everything was ok.

But it wasn't ok.

He had been drawn back to this place, months afterwards because it wasn't all ok.

Only days after geostigma had been cured, he had felt it. He had felt that familiar tug in his gut that told him this war wasn't over and that the battle with Sephiroth, with meteor, with geostigma, that those had just been warm-ups, now the real thing was coming. He'd heard his voice, but this time it had been a lot weaker and he'd been able to ignore it. He had defeated Sephiroth, twice, he was Cloud Strife and he was free.

Then he'd heard her voice.

It was as cold as ice, and completely inhuman. It was like nothing he'd ever heard before yet he knew it so well at the same time and it was in those moments, he knew that he had to leave and look for a way to prevent the upcoming war.

Jenova.

_You think you've won, foolish mortal, but this was only the beginning. A new era shall rain down upon humanity, one of fear and pain and total destruction and my children will rise once more._

He'd tried to block it out but he couldn't say that he wasn't slightly interested in what she was saying. If there was going to be another attack on the planet he'd rather know what was happening than be left in the dark.

_They will conquer this planet and resurrect me so that we may sail the cosmos together, just as it was prophesied long ago. I already have my new heir, my chosen one, my saviour and your demise._

He had woken in a cold sweat in his room, breathing heavily as his eyes darted to every corner. He had immediately dismissed the voice as something from an old nightmare that had come back with a vengeance as he was about to go back to sleep.

_And before you realise it, it will already be too late._

It was like a hissing in his ear, both a threat and a promise as he was immediately wide awake. It was in the middle of the night, so he had gathered his things quietly and snuck out of his room, down the stairs and out towards the garage. He found himself stopping though as he crept back into the house, up the stairs and into Tifa's room, looking down upon the sleeping beauty.

Her face had been twisted into an expression of horror and he thought that perhaps she was having the same nightmare as he had, that Jenova was speaking to her too. He longed to wake her up and talk to her about it, so they could plan together about what they were going to do but then he realised how stupid and selfish he was being. Tifa couldn't hear the voices, she wasn't connected at all to them and to drag her down with him, as he had done many times in the past, would be to put her in danger and that was the one thing he could not do.

So gently, he placed his bare hand on her face, stroking it gently as he brushed her beautiful black locks out of her face. Her features relaxed instantly as a small smile appeared on her lips and she leaned into his touch. He placed a small kiss to her forehead not wanting to leave her and his children but knowing he had to protect them, he had to start searching for this new chosen one now and destroy it before it was too late.

"I promise, I'll come back Tifa," he whispered to her softly, watching as her lips formed his name in a silent gesture of showing she could hear him. He didn't like making promises but he knew that if he did, he would have to keep them because they meant so much to her.

He hated to leave them now, when everything had been going so great, when he and Tifa had been so close to finding their place together in the world and their family. It would just have to wait.

"I'll come back when I know I have protected you, just like I promised, and when I do..." He released a shaky breath as he stood up and looked down on her, the smile still gracing her features. "I'll propose to you."

It had been eleven months since that night, eleven months since he had seen Tifa, heard her beautiful voice, touched her fair skin and he missed her. He knew of her feelings for him, he'd known for a while but he had been so unsure of his own and if he really deserved someone as good as Tifa but now he knew that once he discovered who this menace was and defeated him, he could finally look Tifa in the eye and tell her those three little words she wanted to hear.

"Why don't you just do it now?"

His head whipped toward the boyish voice he knew so well, one he had not heard in a good while. A figure materialised, lounging on one of the church pews as he ran a hand lazily through his black spiky hair. His whole body, clothed in his SOLDIER uniform, was slightly transparent yet he still grinned at Cloud.

"Life's way too short to be waiting around," Zack said, waving a hand lazily. "I mean look at me, I didn't even reach your age and I'm dead."

"Zack?" Cloud managed to choke out in confusion as he took a step towards his deceased friend.

"Glad to see you haven't forgotten me," his best friend replied with a cheeky grin before his expression turned serious. "By the way, I expect you to name your first born son after me." At Cloud's bewildered expression he merely shrugged his shoulders. "Just saying."

"Now isn't the time Zack," came a gentle yet serious voice from the right.

Cloud turned, only to find the deceased flower girl, pink dress glowing and ribbon tied tightly, smiling at him kindly. A basket of flowers hung from her arm as she walked over towards him, her long braid swishing with each step she took.

"Aerith," Cloud breathed out slowly, his eyes wide. He knew he had to have been dreaming, both of them couldn't just appear again like this, not after everything had settled down, he had to be hallucinating or something,

"Cloud," Aerith replied softly, "it's been a while."

All he could do was nod in response as he tried to keep his jaw from dropping. This wasn't a dream, he knew that now, it felt far too real and if anyone knew about the upcoming threat it would probably be these two.

"I think he already knows, Aerith," Zack murmured after a period of silence.

"He only knows a part," she replied easily before turning to him. "I'm guessing you didn't discover much on your journeys, did you?" She asked with a small smile.

"No, nothing," he whispered in return, shaking his head in disappointment.

"Cloud... Did you ever think that maybe... leaving Tifa and going off on your own was... the wrong thing to do?" Aerial asked softly.

"I can't let her get involved in this," was his immediate reply.

"But don't you think-"

"I won't put her in danger, not again," he cut her off, not harshly but firmly.

"Cloud, Tifa is a big girl now and-"

"And she's neck deep in this already," Zack interrupted abruptly. At Aerith's horrified look he shot her a firm one in return as he gestured towards Cloud. "I know we promised Tifa we wouldn't say anything but he deserves to know and he'd find out eventually."

"You've been talking to Tifa?" Cloud asked incredulously. "How is she? How are the kids?" He paused as he shot Zack a look of pure death and horror. "What do you mean she's neck deep in this?"

"Oh Holy," Aerith murmured under her breath as she covered her face with her hand. "Cloud she's fine, it's just..."

"When you left, it was hard for her and then..." Zack trailed off, looking towards Aerith for help once more.

"She found out... about what you were trying to prevent and..."

"She took matters into her own hands," Zack finished with a sigh.

"What do you mean," Cloud began through gritted teeth as his hands formed fists. This was exactly what he wanted to avoid by leaving his family, he wanted them to live in in blissful ignorance while he sorted everything out. "She took matters into her own hands?"

"Cloud..." He felt a hand on his arm as he looked towards Aerith, her face was soft yet her eyes were solid and calm as she tried to calm him down. "You have to understand, you didn't leave Tifa much of a choice. You know how independent and strong she is... she didn't know where you were and she's always tried to protect the planet..."

But he wasn't listening anymore, he was already halfway out the door and mounting Fenrir, putting on his goggles and revving up the monstrous engine. A leather hand rested on his arm as he looked towards Zack, about to yell at him to get out of the way however he stopped himself at the look on Zack's face. He had never seen his friend seem so serious about anything.

"Don't be mad at Tifa, Cloud," he said with an imploring look in his eyes. "She's been through a lot in the past few months, she did what she thought was right."

Although rage and desperation boiled within him, he nodded firmly putting a leash on his explosive emotions as he always did when he was stressed. The second Zack removed his hand and faded back into the church, Cloud took off, driving at crazy speeds towards Edge, where he prayed he would find Tifa and the children unharmed.

* * *

Meanwhile in the small village of Wutai, darkness began to descend upon the town, the sun having run its course for the day while the moon rose to take its place. A silent figure sped across the rooftops, jumping down and rolling into back alleyways to escape vision. The streets were almost cleared of people however the mystery ninja took no chances, making it to the very edge of town just off to the side of the Great Padoga.

Dark brown eyes looked up towards the top floor with both nostalgia and wariness before they refocused on the task at hand, running through the trees hastily, small feet barely touching the forest floor. Even as the cliff approached up ahead, no speed was lost, if anything acceleration increased. With one graceful leap, weightlessness took over and gravity began to pull the skilled warrior towards the crashing waves of the sea below.

With careful precision, the ninja tumbled quickly in mid air before releasing the concealed grappling hook, catching the gleaming metal circle at the top of the long abandoned Wutain coal mines. The descent ceased and the figure swung elegantly into the cave, rolling to soften the fall with a small release of breath.

Standing up to the short height she possessed, Yuffie Kasaragi practically skipped deeper into the caves she had taken over with the help of Vincent and Reeve. Droplets of water dripped from the dark ceiling and the irregular shaped rocks made the floor uneven and slippery to walk on.

"Imagine trying to navigate through here when you're drunk," she murmured to herself with a small snicker, trying to picture a drunk Vincent or Reno stumbling about in the dark pit of dampness.

After about five minutes of skipping over the death trap of a floor, she rounded the final corner, light assaulting her vision as their small hideout came into view. Tiny Wutain style houses decorated the cave and gravel had been spread over the flattest of rocks, creating a makeshift footpath for the small amount of residents.

She slowed her pace, beginning to follow said path towards the main building in the centre of the large cave. She gripped her shuriken loosely and twirling it leisurely as she made her way towards the main door. A quick scan of her fingerprints allowed her easy access and the giant double doors swung open, granting her permission to walk through.

As soon as she took a step inside, she felt a sudden presence to her right before a battle cry resounded, triggering her instinctual nerves. Sidestepping, she twirled as a small yet lean figure charged at her, catching the back of her assailant's neck and pinning him to the ground.

"Too predictable, Denz," she said with a small tutting noise. "You're gonna have to try harder than that to beat the greatest ninja that ever lived!" She announced proudly, letting the young boy up and watching as he pouted and dusted himself off slightly.

"I nearly had you," he muttered under his breath.

"Sure, whatever helps ya sleep at night, kid," she snorted, giving him a cheeky grin and ruffling his hair. "We'll practise more later, right now, Aunt Yuffie has got business to attend to!"

He snorted although a smile graced his features. "Gaia help me if you're my aunt," he said, earning a smack upside the head from his 'aunt'.

"I'll have you know, I'm your godmother too!" She winked, giggling at how the boy suddenly paled dramatically.

He was about to say something in response however he closed his mouth and looked behind the ninja. She turned around and followed his gaze, her dark eyes landing on the silent and mysterious member of AVALANCHE. His cape seemed to billow out behind him despite the lack of wind in the cave while his long raven hair cast shadows over his face, the crimson headband covering most of his forehead.

"Yuffie," Vincent greeted her, his voice serious and as low as ever.

She wasn't deterred though, her grin widened and she skipped towards him, bumping his shoulder with her fist. "Hiya Vinnie! Did ya miss me?"

He ignored the nickname and the question, although neither Yuffie nor Denzel missed the slight tensing of his posture. "Did you locate him?"

"Oh, I found him alright," she replied, her eyes hardening and voice turning serious. "But it won't be easy getting to him."

* * *

Fenrir roared through the streets of Edge, like thunder crashing through the clouds and shaking the earth with its booming screech. Disregarding his incredible amount of speed, Cloud revved the engine even more, accelerating with the desire of reaching his home even faster.

_Home_.

Gaia, he didn't know when was the last time he had come within a kilometre of Edge. The months had just flown by yet at the same time, they'd trudged along slowly, disorientating his already faulty perception of time.

He wondered what Tifa would say when he walked through the door, what she would look like. Would she be happy? Angry? Sad? Tired? Fed up? What would the kids do when they heard Fenrir pull up outside the bar? Would they be ecstatic and hyper with joy? Or would they resent them?

His heart clenched within his chest at the thought.

He skidded to a stop outside Seventh Heaven, his eyes narrowing at the state of the building that was obviously no longer his home. Windows were barred with wooden beams and broken through the gaps, the door hanging off its hinges and shaking in the slight breeze as if waving mockingly in greeting at him.

Almost in a daze, he stumbled hastily into the bar, nearly tripping over the rotting wood. The tables and chairs that had once seated so many drunken, depressed yet content individuals were now broken and splintered or turned on their sides, some were even missing. The bar was bare, only a few empty bottles littering it and the whole place stank of stale beer.

"Kids? Tifa?" He called out in vain, knowing they wouldn't answer him, yet trying anyway. He strode towards the back door, heading to the kitchen however movement behind him stopped him from doing so.

He whirled around, cautious hope lighting up in his eyes. It died however when he saw the old man, a former regular customer of Tifa's and one who always managed his drinking well. Cloud once remembered Tifa pointing him out to him and explaining how polite he always was, a gentleman among the herd of scumbags that rotted this city.

"They're not here," he said, his voice slightly rough and hoarse from old age and his eyes narrow and glazed over. "Poor Tifa packed up and left with the kids a few of months ago, I just come here now to reminisce on all the pleasant drinks I had here, chatting to Tifa and watching her teach those lovely children of hers how to tend to a bar."

"Where did they go?" Cloud asked urgently, taking a step towards the man.

"I don't know, she never said," he shrugged, his tone sad as he looked around the ruined bar. "Tifa was the nicest woman I've ever known, apart from my wife, lord rest her soul. She shouldn't have had to struggle like she did."

"Struggle?" The former SOLDIER repeated in confusion.

"Aye, the bar began to fail, she was running it night and day on her own although her children pitched in when they could. More rough ones started drinking and starting fights but despite her unwavering control, it drove a lot of the usuals away," he explained, pausing to release a long tired sigh. "She couldn't continue on, the young girl said she was suffering from insomnia and with all the monster attacks, she-"

"Monster attacks?" His voice grew hard and eyes stern. "What monster attacks?"

"Monsters have been appearing all over the town, especially around this area," the old man explained. "She fought off most of them but some of them attacked the school one day. If it wasn't for her and a couple of other brave parents those children would've been done for."

"Were Denzel and Marlene injured?" His voice was bordering on panicky at this stage. If anything had happened to them he would never forgive himself. Just the thought of the kids crying out for him, pleading for their lives, wondering where their guardian was... it killed him.

"No, but Tifa didn't let them go to school after that. A couple of days later, she packed up everything she could and got an airship out of here. She made the right decision if you ask me, she should've done it sooner."

"Cid..." Cloud murmured under his breath, eyes falling to the floor in thought. If Cid picked them up then she was more than likely in Rocket Town and the rest of AVALANCHE knew of their location, or at least Barrett would, considering Marlene probably wanted to stay with Denzel and Tifa.

He turned towards the door, striding out and mentally preparing himself for the long journey ahead of him. "Thank you," he said in a means of goodbye to the man however before he managed to step outside the ruined door, the customer spoke up.

"You were a fool to leave a woman like that, son," he said gruffly, giving the former SOLDIER a sideways look. "If you find her, never let her go again."

Cloud said nothing in return, because there was nothing else to say.


	3. Finding Him

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and followed/favourited my story, it's nice to get feedback. Here's the next chapter, hope you all enjoy, the next should be up within two weeks :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, it belongs to Square Enix.**

Chapter Two: Finding Him

"You sure you wanna go in there alone, Teef?" Reno asked hesitantly, looking towards the ruins of the once immaculate and well-fortified Shinra laboratory.

The top floor rose above the clouds, their fogginess shrouding the extensive structure from the naked eye on the ground. The whole place looked unstable and dangerous, the windows were broken and glass lay across the helicopter pad they were currently standing on. Shadows enveloped the interior that they could see through the windows, objects standing still yet Tifa could sense something else was lurking there, lurking from deep within.

"I mean... you don't know what else is in there, the sugar-abusing ninja didn't exactly say-"

"I'll be fine, besides, you need to have the helicopter ready in case we need to make a quick getaway," she cut him off with a small smile before giving him an amused look. "And never say that to Yuffie's face, she'll trample you."

The corner of his own lip rose and he nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets. "You got it," he replied.

"Alright," she took out the small ear piece and placed it in her ear, struggling for a second to fit it in a comfortable position but succeeding once Reno leant a hand. "Testing, one, two, three," she said, pressing down on the button and speaking clearly.

"I hear ya loud 'n' clear, Teefs!" Yuffie's chirpy voice came through almost instantly, nearly deafening the fighter as she winced while Reno tried to contain his snort of laughter.

"Ok, good, you have the blueprints in front of you?" she asked, double-checking her belongings as she did so. A torch, some extra materia, a rope, a dagger and some elixirs along with some water and energy bars made up the contents of her small bag, the long strap extending over her shoulder and making it easy to carry. She had shed her old bar tending clothes, opting for loose, baggy pants and a tight tank top, that showed off the materia glowing along her arms. It reminded her of the SOLDIER uniform that used to be so popular long ago and was now a bitter reminder of what all the planet and its people had been through.

"Yeah! Sure do, I'm all set to start navigating whenever you're ready," she replied through the earpiece.

"Alright then," she looked back towards Reno and nodded once, seriousness lacing her features as she shifted the buster sword into a more comfortable position on her back. "I'll be back soon," was all she said before turning and making her way towards the abandoned building.

Before leaving Edge for good, she had made one last visit to the church in Midgar where Aerith had spent most of her days. With Zack's permission, she had taken his famous buster sword from its resting place and cleaned it efficiently so that it could be used once again. When Cloud had left, he had taken all of his weapons with him and considering they were tight on money, she had thought that the only possible solution would be to borrow Zack's old sword.

Hopping in through one of the broken windows, she made sure not to cut herself on any of the glass as she produced a torch from her bag and began shining the light across the barren interior. The once shiny metal walls and floor were now dull and rusting, although she supposed the rust could've been dried blood either, it would explain the godawful smell that lingered in the air.

"Ok, Teefs, you need to go straight down those stairs in front of you, the key is to get to the very bottom of the mountain, then we need to go across and make our way back up," Yuffie's voice came over the speaker in her ear.

"Why can't I just cut straight across?" She asked, pausing before the stairs and looking in one of the bulletproof windows that had somehow managed to stay in tact. "I'm sure I could destroy one of these glass panes with some magic and just go right through."

"I'm sure you could too, but when I obtained the blueprints for this place, I did some quick surveying myself," Yuffie said. "Tap the glass once and you'll get your answer."

Not quite liking her tone of foreboding, she did as she was told anyway and rapped her knuckle once against the thick, transparent shield. The answer Yuffie had described came immediately and swiftly, in the form of a large snout filled with razor sharp teeth and dripping with infected saliva while ravenous, animalistic eyes glared at her. She jumped back from the monster instinctively, raising her fists however it collided harmlessly with the glass and bounced back, snapping, snarling and whining as its brethren joined it, creating a symphony of torturous howls.

"I see what you mean," Tifa said, relaxing ever so slightly and taking a step away from the cage of creatures. "The stairs sound good."

"Told ya," was her instant reply, although it wasn't as cocky as usual, it was slightly remorseful - almost regretful. "Be careful, Teefs, I only did a quick scan of the floor you're currently on, I didn't check the lower levels. Who knows what's lurking down there with no restraints."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Cid's voice suddenly came in harshly through the background. "You're sending Tifa in there _blind_?"

"Butt out old man!" the ninja's indignant voice shot back. "And who let you in here anyway? This is a top-secret surveillance room for mission operatives, not cranky, old, retired pilots!"

"I'm not old, you're just a baby, and this isn't a top-secret surveillance room, it's your bedroom-"

"Exactly, so get _out_!"

"Not until you tell that lazy Turk to go in with her, I don't want her going in there alone and blind!"

"She's not blind, I'm guiding her!"

"That's worse than being blind!"

"You listen here, you old fart-"

"Guys, I'm going down the stairs now," Tifa cut them off in a sing-song voice as she tried to contain her laughter. "Cid, I think we're running low on supplies, you may need to take the Shera out and get some. Bring Denzel with you, he needs to get out more."

A few grumbles could be heard in the background along with an immature farting noise from the female ninja as a door was slammed and silence descended once more.

"Alright, Teefs, down the stairs you go and mind you don't fall."

Making a mental note to either breathe through her mouth or not at all, she ventured deeper into the building, taking the stairs and burrowing into its rotting core. Everything was eerily silent except for her light footsteps and the odd whistle of air through the empty corridors. The smell continued to grow worse as she ventured further down, stale urine, old food and decaying corpses mingling with it and making her eyes water. For once she didn't appreciate her acute sense of smell.

"Continue straight up this corridor until I say otherwise."

Tifa nodded once and followed the instructions, checking each doorway on either her left or right and making sure she was alone. Every room was either a laboratory, an infirmary or an office for filing away the gruesome experiments that took place there. One room she came upon happened to be a staff room yet all the food was tossed about over the furniture and there were corpses strewn about everywhere, making her stomach clench with disgust.

A dead end made her stop suddenly and she inspected the thick iron door that blocked her path. An unused, old keypad hooked onto the wall beside it and she cursed under her breath at the fact the generator was no longer operating. She didn't think it would matter even if the generator was operating anyway, weld marks embroidered the door's edges, sealing it shut tight and locking it well. Whoever had welded it shut had certainly done a good job on it. Taking a step back, she clicked onto her earpiece and sighed slightly.

"Yuffie, are you sure those are the correct blueprints? I'm at a dead end here and none of the other rooms seemed to have another way out. Should I have turned down a different corridor or something?"

"Ah my dear Tifa, never underestimate a ninja's sense of direction," Yuffie chastised her softly, making tutting noises in the background. "Look above you."

Her eyes flickered directly upwards and it was then she noticed the iron grate in the ceiling, only a few feet above her head. "You've got to be kidding me," she muttered to herself.

"I kid you not, my dear, the only way to get into the next corridor is through that ventilation system and it's much handier because the next couple of rooms were reserved for the premium experiments."

"Premium experiments?" Tifa echoed in confusion as she jumped up and dislodged the metal with a firm punch, before jumping up again and hoisting herself into the small, metal tunnel.

"Yeah, I got my hands on a couple of classified files that came with these blueprints when I snagged them. Supposedly, most of the experiments that revolved around extreme genetic mutations were conducted here however there was a horrible breakout a couple of years before this place closed down. They sealed off the whole area, left the stranded scientists to die and then continued to observe the creatures through security cameras."

"How awful," Tifa whispered in horror as she began to crawl forwards.

"It gets worse. Apparently, they discovered that the monsters used a certain system they dubbed as 'food birthing' where the monsters would mate and eat the weakest of their young and this system kept them alive even though they had no access to the outside world."

"But what about their droppings and the remains, what happened to them?"

Her own questioned was answered as she passed over another iron grate and the disgusting smell of said items reached her nose. Moving over it quickly, she tried not to cough as she continued on, holding her nose and taking small shallow breaths.

"They were left there and one more thing, try be as quiet as possible, I'm not sure if they're still down there or not."

"So you're basically saying that if this vent collapses there's a good chance I will land directly on top of their den?" Tifa asked, shuddering at the mere thought of it.

"Yeah basically, but like I said, be quiet, follow my instructions and move quickly and you'll be out of there in no time," Yuffie said cheerfully. "Now take a right up here, and then take an immediate left. You should be out of the danger zone by then and you can get out of the ventilation system. After that, it's just a straight run to the stairs and you can get out of there."

"Well that's a relief," Tifa admitted with a slight sigh as she did as she was told, before hopping down into the corridor like a cat.

Standing to her full height and popping the joints in her body, she turned to examine the metal door that held the creatures within their cage. Her eyes widened slightly and her pulse began to roar in her ears out of shear anxiety as she stared at the open metal archway that led into darkness.

"Yuffie..." she whispered softly. "What was keeping the doors shut while the creatures lived in there?"

"Oh it was the generator, the scientists programmed it to keep them on auto-lock at all times so that a mistake could never be made when people were coming and going to observe them. The only time they could ever really be opened was when the generator-" her voice was suddenly cut off and Tifa was thrown into silence until her friend's shaky breathing resounded over the earpiece. "Oh shit."

"My thoughts exactly," was all the former-barmaid could whisper in reply as her eyes locked onto the bloody paw-prints that marked the metal ground, like clues in some kind of sick treasure hunt. She sucked in a deep breath and shone her torch down the corridor, eyes glued to the trail of markings out of pure fear. "There's no going back now."

"Teefs, we can regroup and send a fully enforced team in-"

"No, we could lose him and we can't afford that now, not when time's running out," Tifa replied firmly, beginning to walk cautiously down the corridor. "What's next Yuffie?"

She could practically hear her friend swallow hard before she spoke. "Just keep going straight and it should lead you to the stairs."

"Ok," was all the brawler said in reply as she swept a stray lock of hair out of her face and continued forward. Every step she took was well placed and perfectly silent while her breathing was controlled and steady. The only thing that would actually give her away was her light or her rapidly beating heart. It took her about five minutes to check each room, making sure each one was empty and that the path behind her was safe so as to avoid a pre-emptive strike to her disadvantage.

Yuffie remained quiet although Tifa could hear her anxious breaths through the earpiece along with a slight shuffling in the background, leading her to believe she was fidgeting nervously. It gave her some comfort though, as if Yuffie was right behind her yet she didn't let it deter her concentration.

After clearing about ten rooms on each side of the corridor she came to a cross-street and halted suddenly at the sound of harsh growling and laboured breathing. Pressing herself up against the wall, she peeked nervously around the corner, trying to identify the source in the darkness.

All she could see was a large looming shadow close enough to her, one with fur that stood on two paws and had gnarly hands, disfigured and sharp, like distorted kitchen knives. She whipped her head back around and that was when she saw the other one on the other side of the cross road, slowly making its way up the corridor towards her. She could see the outline of the stairs on the other side, it was so near yet if she ran out now, she would be seen. If she stayed, she would most definitely be spotted but if she turned back, she may be able to make it out...

"Yuffie, there are two of these creatures on either side of the crossroads," she whispered into the earpiece quietly, feeling the sweat begin to dribble down her back and causing her discomfort. "The stairs is on the other side, I can see it from here."

"Go back, don't risk it," Yuffie whispered urgently. "You can't outrun those things, who knows how strong they are if they're premium mutations and considering there's two of them-"

"I'm going to make a run for it," Tifa whispered, mentally and physically readying herself as she saw the creature draw closer and she finally got a good look at it.

It had to bend over lest it bump its head off of the ceiling and it was probably a lot wider than it seemed considering its hulking body had to fold in on itself. She realised its hands were those of a human excepted mutated out of shape however its face was the most horrific of all.

It was human, or at least it had been human at once stage, its eyes were void of any colour, they were just black portals of nothingness, never capable of showing human emotions. Its mouth was bloody and ripped open right up to its ears, exposing the black saliva and long yellow teeth while its forked tongue slithered out into the open air, a sure sign that it seemed hungry.

She froze for a split-second as its black eyes met her own and her heart stopped in her chest but as it let out a gigantic roar, she got over her period of shock and began sprinting towards the stairs.

"Yuffie, I've been spotted, tell me the directions quickly!" she yelled as she ran up the stairs, taking them three at a time. She could hear the two beasts behind her, snarling, sniffing and howling as they clambered up the stairs right on her heels. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she felt them grow closer and in a bout of desperation, she sent a strong aero spell back at them, causing them to stumble back down slightly and giving her a chance to put some distance between them.

"Ok, ok... ok," Yuffie's voice was slightly breathy as she tried not to panic. "Keep running up the stairs until you get to the very top then run straight down the corridor and there should be a door in front of you, get through that and you're safe."

"That's the best news I've heard all day!" She yelled as she sent an earth spell down at the monsters behind her, rocks colliding with their sickly mutated bodies and causing them to roar in outrage. More howls resounded than before and she forced herself not to imagine how many were down there after her.

Just as she reached the top of the stairs, she was greeted by another mutation and she had to throw herself to the side as it charged for her, eyes wild with hunger. Its momentum allowed it to speed right down the stairs and into two of its brethren and Tifa took the chance to run down the corridor, completely disregarding the other rooms.

Pumping her legs as fast as she could, she tried to ignore the howls from behind. Her arms moved quickly in unison with her legs and the torch's light kept flickering everywhere due to the quick movement. She vaulted herself over a corpse in the middle of the corridor and kept running, her boots making slapping noises against the metal.

Her heart sank though as she saw a creature at the other side of the hall, its teeth bared and charging right for her. She didn't stop though, feeling the monsters behind her grow closer with each passing second and so she charged her materia, sending an ice spell at the floor beneath its feet.

Skidding on the slippery surface, the creature went down and Tifa let out a yelp as she jumped over it, never losing pace. However something snagged around her ankle and she was pulled to the ground, landing heavily on her stomach.

All the air left her lungs at the collision yet she somehow managed to scream in pain as sharp clawed hands dug into her ankle, squeezing down on the bones and creating so much pressure she thought her limb was going to snap in half. Out of pure desperation, she sent an fire spell at its head, some of the hot flames licking her own skin and burning the flesh. Another cry left her lips however she felt relief swell within her when the grip disappeared on her ankle.

Scrambling to her feet, she half-sprinted, half-limped towards the door at the end, falling against it and turning the circular handle with all of her might. Looking behind her as she did so, she could see a whole pack of the creatures running towards her on all fours, their tongues hanging out while saliva dripped from their gaping mouths like waterfalls.

"C'mon, c'mon, _c'mon_!" She cried, turning the wheel continuously to try and unlock the door.

Finally, it swung open and she dived through, falling to the ground on her shoulder and groaning in pain. Using her good, foot, she kicked the door shut just as the remaining monsters collided with it. Some kind of locking mechanism kicked in and she heard the wheel seal the door shut once again over the sound of the monsters throwing themselves against it.

"Teefs? You still alive?" Yuffie's timid and nervous voice came over the speaker.

"Yeah, Yuffie," she let out a relieved laugh as she let her head rest against the floor and merely stared up at the ceiling. "I'm still here."

"Oh thank the gods," she heard Yuffie release a huge sigh of relief as she got up off the floor looking around her. It was then she realised she didn't even need a torch anymore, the giant room she was in was filled with the natural light of the sun. The floors were ceramic tiles rather than metal and the walls were a cream colour. Windows decorated the whole place, allowing the sun's light to reflect around the room. Plants hung from the unused lights in little boxes, their flowers and branches hanging out over the sides while others sat on shelves or in the centre of the room. A cleanly-kept cream couch sat in the centre along with a coffee table and a shelf full of books while wooden doors led to separate rooms.

Tifa let out a soft whistle at the beauty of it, her eyes widening as she limped forwards slightly. It was then her eyes trained on the man standing on the opposite side of the room, his mako eyes guarded and uncertain while his crimson rapier was held tightly in his hand.

She was so shocked, she merely just stared at him for a few seconds. She had prepared herself for this meeting, thinking of what she was going to say and how she would act but all of that flew out of her head once his captivating mako eyes locked onto her own.

He was beautiful, in a feminine way. His silky, short red locks fell halfway down his neck while his skin was as porcelain as the tiles on the ground. His face was cleanly shaven and he held himself with such nobility and elegance. He reminded her of an angel.

"You're dripping on my carpet," were the first words he said to her and she immediately broke out of her daze.

"I'm sorry," she tripped over her own words as she tried to get off the beautiful floral carpet without putting pressure on her bad leg. "I'll replace it, I swear."

He didn't seem amused nor content with her response or her offer to supply him with a new carpet. She felt sweat gather on her forehead as she tried to concentrate and ignore the throbbing in her leg. She swept her hair back and looked at him both seriously and openly, trying to show she wasn't an enemy.

"Are you, Genesis Rhapsodos?" she asked.

"That depends," he replied smoothly, his voice like velvet yet guarded all the same as he eyed her through his locks of red hair.

"On what?" she enquired, keeping her own guard up.

"On who you are," he answered.

"I'm Tifa Lockhart, I was a friend of Zack Fair," the name seemed to catch him off guard slightly and she continued on, her voice unwavering. "He told me that you could help me."

"Zack is dead," he stated, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"You think being dead would stop Zack from talking?" She raised an eyebrow skeptically although he seemed unconvinced still. "Our friend, Aerith Gainsborough, was a Cetra however she died in order to help save the planet. She has a certain amount of control over the lifestream and it enables her to communicate with me." She looked at him closely. "Surely you've heard of her from a couple of Tseng's old reports or from Zack himself?"

"I have," he admitted with a nod of his head and he stepped closer to her, his eyes never leaving her own. "However I highly doubt Zack would send you after me, he and I didn't exactly part on the best of terms."

"I understand that but he told me that you were an excellent swordsman and I really need your help," she said honestly, a pleading look beginning to form in her eyes. His own remained emotionless and she have him a piercing look. "You don't believe me."

"Give me one reason why I should," he said, not missing a beat.

She couldn't blame him really. She was just a stranger who had located him in one of the farthest corners of the earth, bleeding and staining his carpet. She doubted he'd had any real human interaction since he had begun to live in this abandoned facility. However she needed to convince him and there was one way she knew how.

She produced the wrapped sword from her back and allowed the bindings to fall away. She could tell just by the way his eyes widened and he seemed to be a million miles away that it had evoked some memories within him, memories of a bitter-sweet life he had once led.

"I know you recognise this sword, that it's a symbol for the dreams and honour of its wielder," she said, drawing his attention back to her. "Well my dreams and honour are at stake right now and you're the only person who can help me."

The tone of her voice seemed to make him both curious and alarmed. He looked at her strangely drawing closer until he was close enough to touch her with his rapier. "Who are you exactly?" he asked peering at her face, his voice low and hard.

"I am Tifa Lockhart, leader of AVALANCHE and current owner of the buster sword. You might know me better as the missing product of Project L."


	4. Resentment

**A/N: Happy New Year! Thanks to all who reviewed this story and who followed/favourited it. Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and a nice New Year's Day and that you enjoy this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy, it belongs to Square Enix.**

Chapter Three: Resentment

When Cloud pulled up outside Rocket Town, it was as empty as ever. Only the old man who had provided them with all of the information about the rocket launch stood outside his house, as if he had never left that spot. Cloud was actually surprised he wasn't ten feet under at this stage.

The old man smiled at him, recognition in his eyes and Cloud couldn't help but allow a small ounce of respect grow within him for the man. Even in his old age, his mind was as sharp as ever.

"Hello there, son, I didn't think I'd ever see you again," he greeted Cloud cheerfully as the SOLDIER approached him. "What brings you to this neck of the woods, eh?"

"I came to look for my..." He hesitated slightly, wondering what label he would - or rather could - actually place upon Tifa. His girlfriend? His possible future wife? The woman who took care of their adopted children and ran their business but went missing recently after he left?

"My friend," he finished lamely.

"Well, if you mean Cid, he actually just left a few hours ago," the old man answered. "He said that he and the young lad were picking up supplies when I was talking to him but he didn't say where they were headed."

"Was the boy named Denzel?" Cloud asked immediately.

The man's wrinkles suddenly increased in number as confusion entered his features. "I don't rightly know, son, Cid never really introduced him to me although, a couple of times before I did see him with his mother. She doesn't look old enough to be a parent though." He missed Cloud's shocked face and clicked his fingers smiling. "It was the same girl who came here with you years ago! She calls into Shera quite a bit, they seem to be very close."

"How were they?" Cloud asked, trying to keep the anxiety out of his voice.

"Last time I saw them, they seemed fine, they were in a bit of a hurry but that nice girl took the time to stop and chat to me," he answered with a smile. "She was beautiful as always but she seemed a bit tired and she'd gained much more muscle since the last time I'd seen her. Come to think of it, I haven't seen her in over a month now."

"Why were they picking up supplies? Where were they going?" Cloud asked more to himself rather than the old man.

"Shera orders in a tonne of supplies each month from Midgar and once they arrive Cid brings his airship over and picks them up with a couple of others," the old man answered him anyway. "I don't understand why they don't just go to Midgar themselves to collect it but if you ask me it has something to do with the troubles in the city."

"What troubles?" Cloud asked in confusion.

"Have you been living under a rock for the past few months son?" The old man exclaimed with a hearty laugh. "Loads of abandoned Shinra facilities have been raided and burned to the ground, no one's been injured but it's setting the locals on edge. Most of the facilities were in Midgar but there have been others too, like the ones in smaller towns." He shook his head slowly. "Everyone thinks it's that rebel group AVALANCHE again, while some say it's the wrath of the planet, but I'm not really sure if it's either. You should go talk to Shera, she'll know more than me."

"Thank you," Cloud said with a nod before making his way over to Shera's house and knocking on the door twice.

* * *

"So you're leaving now?" Aerith looked across the flowery fields she had created within the lifestream towards Zack. He stood there, a replica of his buster sword on his back and a sad look on his face.

"I have to go, Aerith, you know I can't refuse the call," he replied with a shrug. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"But, Zack, Tifa needs us! She needs us now more than ever," Aerith argued, her voice pleading and eyes big and wide.

"And I'm needed somewhere else," he said placing his hands on her shoulders and giving her a reassuring smile. "Besides, she has you to look out for her, what does she need me for? I just give her headaches, or so she says anyway."

"What about Cloud? He always listens to you more than he does to me, what if I can't convince him-?"

"Aerith, please," Zack sighed softly and looked towards the portal that was slowly forming behind him before looking back at her, his eyes honest as always. "This may be my only chance to see her again and to properly live again, I can't just throw that away. I know you're well able to handle Cloud and to help Tifa without me, you've just got to believe in yourself more."

"Alright..." She sighed before wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him tightly. "I know things didn't work out with us, but I want you to know that I hope you find her Zack, and I hope she remembers you."

"Thanks, Aerith," he replied as she released him and he began walking towards the portal, eyes determined and hopeful. "So do I."

* * *

"So tell me, how did you find me?" Genesis asked after he had showed Tifa over to the small table he kept in the kitchen before obtaining the medical kit and some healing materia.

"It wasn't easy, we spent the last few months looking for you. Yuffie happened upon this place and she found traces of recent activity. Since we'd checked nearly everywhere else..." she shrugged slightly, "well, this was the last possible option."

"I see," Genesis murmured as he came back over before, dragging over a stool to sit in front of her. "Your friend Yuffie must be very skilled to have found my tracks, I covered them well if I do say so myself."

"Well, she is a Wutain ninja," Tifa replied with a small smile before looking at him with questioning eyes. "Why did you come here of all places? Surely it brings back some horrible memories?"

"Yes, I must admit it does," he replied nodding once. "However after I renovated it and made sure the monsters didn't bother me, it almost seemed homely. The fact that it was so secluded was also a bonus and I never thought anyone would actually find me here." He gently lifted her foot and removed her boot, making her wince as he did so. "I do apologise for any discomfort but I'm afraid we need to treat your ankle as soon as possible."

"That's alright," she gritted her teeth as he inspected it. "Honestly Mister Rhapsodos, you don't have to-"

"Please, call me Genesis," he interrupted her gently, a charming smile gracing his slightly feminine features. "And it would be extremely difficult for you to treat your own ankle, it will be over sooner if I do it." He rested her ankle on his knee as he began to rifle through the medical box. "You mentioned you came her to seek my aid, so tell me, how can I be of assistance to you?"

"I was hoping you could teach me how to use a sword," she replied softly.

He paused and looked up at her with slightly amused yet shocked eyes. "You mean to tell me, you came into this facility with no clue what truly inhabited it, completely defenceless and with no companions?"

"No," she shook her head quickly. "In the past, I've always relied on my fists during battle, I studied martial arts from a very young age and it's never failed me before but now, I don't think it'll be enough for what's coming..."

She trailed off, the worries of the last few months resurfacing like a tidal wave and washing over her. She felt her heart speed up slightly from within her ribcage, as if it was drowning in the very blood that kept it beating. Genesis eyed her curiously and cautiously and just by the look in his mako eyes, she knew the distress of the past few weeks showed on her features.

"There's more to it than just learning how to wield a sword, isn't there?" He asked slowly.

She turned her eyes downwards for a split-second not wanting to look him in the eyes but something about his mako gaze made her look back up and she swallowed hard. "Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return," she quoted precisely, studying the flicker of recognition in his eyes. "It's from Loveless, right? I was never really a fan until I heard those words and I don't know why but they meant something to me. It was a warning and I was naive enough to ignore it."

She shook her head in dismay and looked towards him with desperate eyes. "The Shinra building was destroyed yet Rufus Shinra survived. He then contracted the geostigma virus and he was cured. Now he's after me because I'm the very last person on Gaia with active Jenova cells."

"That can't be true," Genesis argued in concern. "My cells are still active, as are Cloud Strife's-"

"His were deactivated by Aerith's healing water once he was cured of the geostigma virus," Tifa explained, her voice catching slightly. "As for you, Shinra thinks you're dead and no offence but I don't think he'd want your cells after the degradation fiasco."

"That's true," he said softly in consent. "Why didn't you just use the same healing water? Surely that would've cured it?"

"I did, I tried on numerous occasions, I even tried drinking it but it made me violently sick," she admitted openly. "I asked Aerith but she said my cells were different somehow, that she couldn't understand it at all. She's still trying to look for some way to help me."

"Having Jenova cells isn't exactly a terrible thing, although it's more convenient to be rid of them," he pointed out. "It's what you do with the power they give you."

"I know, everyone's been telling me so and I'm trying my best," she agreed softly. "That's why I came here to find you. I honestly believe you can help me. Zack said you were one of the greatest swordsmen of all time although he also told me not to tell you that."

"That does sound like Angeal's puppy," he commented with a half smile.

"If you help us, I promise you I won't let Rufus find out that you exist," she said honestly. "We have our own hideout in Wutai, they'll never find us there. You'd be safe with us and I swear I will be a good student if you agree to teach me."

"If you want to take down that brat, then you won't need me to train you," Genesis said. "If what you say is true, then a punch to his pampered nose should do the trick."

Despite her desperation she managed to smile and even let out a small laugh before the happiness faded and she shook her head once more. "It's not Rufus that I'm really worried about," she admitted. "That line from Loveless, it was a warning of three people. Rufus, you and Sephiroth."

* * *

Cloud sat across from Shera in her sitting room as she drank her tea and looked nervously towards the door every two seconds. Her hand shook as she gripped her dainty cup by the handle and she kept fidgeting with the ends of her scarf, small things that were blatantly obvious to Cloud.

"S-so what brings you to Rocket Town?" She asked, a slight tremble in her voice.

"I'm looking for Tifa," he replied bluntly. "I know Cid gave her a lift in his airship but I need to know to where. I figured you could tell me."

She set her cup of tea down and looked at him honestly. "I don't think she would want me to tell you," there was still a timid note to her voice. "It's not personal, it's just-"

"Shera, please, I need to know," Cloud cut her off seriously. "I haven't seen Denzel or Marlene in months, I need to know that they're alright. I need to explain why I-"

"Why _did_ you leave?" She asked, getting there before him. "You were so happy with them and business was going really well. Did something happen? Did you have an argument?"

"No, I just needed to deal with some things-"

"Cloud, if you're not honest with me, I won't be honest with you," she mustered up her bravest voice and looked at him directly in the eye from behind her glasses. "What really happened?"

He hesitated before answering but when he did, there was a solemn tone to his voice. "I heard Jenova's voice. She called out to me, threatening me about some new saviour of hers," he explained. "She was mocking me and praising her chosen one, the one described in her prophecy. So, I left to find and eliminate the threat before anyone else found out."

"Did you find it?" She asked immediately.

"No," he answered with a shake of his head. He ran his hands through his spiky hair as he bent over and looked down, the wooden floor staring back at him. "I don't understand, I looked everywhere and I found nothing. No one had seen anyone suspicious, there was no trace of Jenova anywhere and my cells were neutralised when my geostigma was cured. I can't be a candidate but I was always an exception, what if this time-?"

"It's not you," Shera cut him off quietly but the certainty in her voice was unmistakable.

He looked up at her, the surprise clear in his eyes. "How do you know?"

Before she could answer, there was the sound of air circulating at incredible speeds outside. The trees shook, their leaves falling and dancing around the sky while the grass ruffled in giant waves. There was a thud and the noise died down completely.

Cloud was on his feet before Shera could stop him. He barged out through the door, his gaze set firmly upon the smaller airship that Cid was currently disembarking. The fact that he was alone didn't deter Cloud nor did the blue murder that entered the pilot's eyes once he saw the SOLDIER approaching.

"Shera! What's this bastard doin' here?!" He yelled at his wife who was suddenly, chasing after her house guest. She had to sprint to catch up with Cloud's long strides but even then she was too late.

Cid brought back a fist and went to smash it into Cloud's face however the SOLDIER caught it in a grip of steel. "Where's Tifa?" He asked in a low voice.

"Like hell I'm gonna tell ya after all that poor girl's been through!" He shouted, pulling his fist out of Cloud's hand and drawing back for another punch. Shera cried out for him to stop but he turned a deaf ear to her. "You have some nerve showin' your face up here, spiky asshole!"

"I want to know where my family is," Cloud repeated as he dodged Cid's punch expertly. "I want to know where my children are."

"Listen to you! _My_ family, _my_ kids!" Cid spat bitterly. "You mean the family you abandoned? The kids you left with a single barmaid? You don't have the right to call yourself their father or Tifa's partner!"

Cid launched himself at Cloud in a rugby tackle, surprising him and getting him on the ground. There was nothing to stop the pilot's knuckles from crashing into the SOLDIER's face this time and his nose began to spurt blood as another blow came down.

"You drove off and left 'em high and dry and now you want them back?! You made your goddamn choice, now you've gotta deal with it! _You gotta deal with the fact that you don't deserve her!_" Cid drew his hand high up into the air, ready to bring it down once more however a clawed hand caught it firmly and pulled the pilot off of him.

"He already knows that he doesn't deserve Tifa," Vincent said coolly, his red eyes baring into Cid's and forcing him to back down. The older man merely huffed and turned his back on them, storming inside his house with Shera hot on his heels. "I believe you are here to change that," he said to Cloud as he helped him up.

His friend said nothing, merely wiped away the blood from his face and nodded once firmly. "Thank you, Vincent," he said, a feeling of relief growing within him as he observed his silent friend, one he hadn't seen in some time.

"You're welcome," he replied with a nod. "And Tifa is safe, as are Marlene and Denzel. They are currently at our base of operations with Yuffie, Barrett and Reeve, so you needn't worry."

"That's a relief," Cloud murmured. "How have they been?"

"Very well, although they have changed quite a bit since you last saw them," Vincent gave him a pointed look. "Tifa especially."

"What do you mean by that?" he asked in alarm.

"It is not my place to say, Tifa should explain it herself and so that we are clear, I would like you to know that just because I do not bare resentment towards you on the outside does not mean that it is nonexistent on the inside," Vincent said unemotionally as he walked past him. "The same cannot be said for Yuffie."

"Yuffie?" Cloud repeated in surprise. "She _doesn't _resent me?"

"No," Vincent paused in his step and looked back slightly over his shoulder, "quite the opposite, she will gladly show it openly once you reunite with the rest of AVALANCHE."

A sigh escaped his bloody lips. "Looking forward to it."


	5. Training

**A/N: This chapter is a lot shorter than the others but I hope you still enjoy it. Sorry for the late update, I will try to be on time in the future. Thanks to all who have reviewed and favourited and followed this story, you're amazing! :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII, all rights go to Square Enix.**

Chapter Four: Training

After Genesis had treated her wound and cured it numerous times with healing materia, Tifa was finally able to walk again. She'd sent a quick message to Yuffie, informing her of the mission's success and told her she planned to remain in the facility with Genesis for another week. To be quite honest, it had been Genesis' idea for her to stay considering her leg was not completely healed. She knew that was just a cover though, that he really wanted to see if he could trust her or not but she was happy to comply. She had nothing to hide and it was only a week away from her new home, she could manage that.

Currently, Genesis was giving her the grand tour of his apartment. The kitchen, the sitting room and the dining room were all held together in the main hall she had originally entered into. There was one bathroom which was really the public showers and toilets that had once served the staff however Genesis kept it clean and sparkling. He had changed another staff room into a bedroom, installing a bed and painting it a bright cream colour complete with decorations and furniture. While the couch had been made into a spare bed for her. The charming SOLDIER had offered to give her his bed and he would take the couch however she had been adamant that she would sleep on the sofa, not wanting to kick a gentleman out of his bed.

"I have to say, I'm very impressed, Genesis," she said as she admired one of the large paintings that hung over the couch. "You really know how to style an apartment."

"Thank you," he gave a modest nod of his head. "You're the first person to ever see it."

"Really? I feel very privileged," she gave him a smile before it turned into a look of concern. "Don't you ever find it lonely, though?"

"From time to time," he admitted with the raise of a shoulder. "However, there is very few - if not any - who I would like to have in my company in this new world."

"The world hasn't changed that much since you left to go into hiding," she said as she circled one of the statues he had in his apartment. "People are still suffering, the planet's still trying to recover and the same old threat still lingers. The only real difference is that Rufus Shinra is unpopular and nearly out of business although he is trying to rebuild Shinra."

Genesis looked at her quickly, his eyes holding both anger and bitterness. "I'll die before that happens," he vowed harshly.

"You won't need to," she responded as she turned to give him a reassuring look. "The reformation of AVALANCHE has already put a dent in their progress along with losing two of their best Turks." At his slightly surprised look she shrugged. "Reno and Rude decided they had had enough of Shinra, now they're official members of AVALANCHE. They were able to tell us most of the locations of secret Shinra facilities so we were able to steal the important files and burn the buildings."

"Why are you stealing files?" He asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice.

"Two main reasons. One, to discover any future plans Shinra might have and to find out if there are any other secret threats that need to be eliminated and the second..." She looked down, her hair falling in her face as she refused to meet his eyes. "I'm trying to find out the truth about my past. The files I stumbled upon, beneath the Shinra mansion... they don't add up at all and I know there's a missing piece. I just need to find it."

He gave her a sympathetic look but there was something else beneath it. She soon realised it was understanding and relief flooded through her when she saw it. No matter how much she explained her situation to her friends, no matter how much they supported her and sympathised with her, they never really fully understood what it was like. They tried but it just wasn't possible for them.

But Genesis... he knew exactly what she was going through.

"When I was a little girl, I knew I was stronger than most boys my age and a little faster as well, I guess that was why Zangan agreed to train me. He taught me everything I know about martial arts along with self-control and balance and I think that's why I never discovered what I really was until I found that file. The first time I released my wing... I didn't want to believe it so I chose not to, I chose to keep it hidden. I found the more that I acknowledged it, the less human I became and that's what scared me the most. Becoming like her."

The last word came from her lips like a curse and left a bad taste on her tongue. She could feel a stingy sensation behind her eyes but she pushed it back. She couldn't remember the last time she shed a tear and the truth was, she didn't want to.

Her eyes flickered towards Genesis who looked as though his mind was a thousand miles away. She imagined he was stuck in the past and rather than seeing the raven-haired brawler with the large sword on her back, he saw his old friend, Angeal who Zack had told her so much about.

She had found it hard losing her friends... Zack, Aerith, Jessie, Biggs and Wedge. Their sacrifices had taken their toll on her but she'd had the rest of her friends there to keep her going. She had a reason to keep fighting. Genesis had lost all of his friends though, Sephiroth, Angeal, Zack... they were all gone and he was living a life tormented by shadows of the past in isolation.

"I'll train you," he spoke softly after a long period of silence. "You're worthy of wielding that sword, I can tell, but I must warn you, the more you use your inhuman attributes, the harder it will be to ignore them afterwards. You understand the consequences of this?"

She looked towards him, her maroon eyes turning determined as she nodded once firmly. "Yes, I do."

His lips twitched. "Then we begin first thing tomorrow."

* * *

One word that Tifa would use to describe Genesis was merciless.

He worked her to the bone, despite the fact that her ankle was still quite tender. They started early in the morning just as the sun began to rise. After a quick, yet fulfilling breakfast, he had showed her into the training facility he had established for them. A large container that was now void of any monsters yet still reeked of their stench. She suspected he had cleared the area for them last night.

He wasted no time, beginning immediately and tested her instincts in fighting, coming at her with his crimson rapier faster than a cheetah. Although she had managed to dodge most fatal blows, she couldn't keep up with him much less actually land a hit on him.

After two hours of tiresome fighting with just her fists, he had ordered her to stop and pick up Angeal's sword. The second she took the grip in her gloved hand something stirred within her, as if waves of nostalgia were washing over her. Images flared through her mind of Angeal, Zack and Cloud, raising it to fight, speaking of honour and friendship, of the future. The flashbacks only motivated her to grip the handle harder.

The rest of the day was spent on practising the appropriate grips and footwork. It was so different to the martial arts she was used to and she tried her hardest to understand and memorise each lesson he gave her. He had told her that he couldn't make her into an amazing swordsman in just one day, never mind one week despite his 'extraordinary skills in teaching,' but he could make her into a decent one. He had explained that the extra skills and techniques would take time to master.

Unfortunately, time was one thing they didn't have.

It didn't deter her though. She pushed herself harder than she ever had before until her muscles burned with exertion. Her arms ached from lifting the sword and swinging it in different ways, clashing with his crimson one as he forced her to continue, to defend herself. Hours went by and her breath became laboured, legs became weak, small cuts opened up on her body when she became careless and let him get too close. The stinging pain seemed to focus her concentration and she made a mental vow not to give up until he said so.

At one stage he broke through her defence, and she was too slow to react to the crimson sword that was headed for her throat. Her back hit a wall, arms weakened and fell to her sides and she could only watch as Genesis stopped the sword a centimetre from her throat.

Maroon eyes connected with mako green and her breath hitched in her throat, as she stared at Cloud. Blonde spikes rose to the sky, pale lips held firmly together, and perfectly shaped eyebrows turned downwards in concentration and... was that disapproval on his features?

She tried to say his name but her throat seized up as she felt tears gather behind her eyes. His face held no sympathy, no relief, no... recognition at all and it killed her. Even when he was so emotionless he still managed to steal her heart away, every time she saw him, electricity flowed through her and butterflies filled her stomach. She didn't know why he had such an effect on her, she didn't know why she loved him so much or why he always thought he wasn't good enough for their family and friends. He was always and had always been good enough in her eyes - better than 'good enough.'

But she was never good enough in his.

"Tifa?"

Genesis' voice broke through to her, jerking her back to reality as Cloud's face faded from her vision and the red-haired SOLDIER replaced it. She couldn't speak, she couldn't breathe. Her heart was hammering in her chest and her eyes flickered to every inch of his face, drinking in his features to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

The sword was pulled away from her neck and the force that had been holding her up just disappeared. She sank to the floor, buster sword falling from her hand and all energy leaving her body. Genesis crouched down in front of her, his mako eyes holding nothing but kindness and empathy.

"I think we'll finish up training for today, you've done enough-"

"No," she cut him off immediately, getting shakily to her feet with great effort. "I'm not done yet-"

"Yes, you are," he interrupted gently, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's getting late and you need to eat to keep your strength up. We shall continue this tomorrow."

"But-"

She tried to argue but he placed a finger to her lips and shook his head. "No buts, now come, you can shower and get some fresh clothes on while I cook dinner for us," he said as he lifted the buster sword and directed the reluctant girl towards the exit.

"You didn't even break a sweat though!" She tried one last argument, not wanting him to think of her as a weakling despite the fact that her limbs were dead.

"And neither will you once I'm finished with you."

* * *

Although Marlene Wallace was barely seven years old, she was quite mature for her age. Most people thought it was due to the fact she had been forced to grow up quicker because of her involvement in the salvation of the planet, others said it was simply in her nature.

In all honesty, she pegged it down to the fact that she had always had Tifa as a role model.

She could clearly remember growing up in the original Seventh Heaven in Midgar, watching Tifa tend to the bar, drawing pictures of the attractive barmaid, marvelling when she kicked out the rowdy customers and patiently waiting for her daddy to come home. Tifa had always been her mother-figure and she'd tried to copy her in every way possible. She grew out her hair, she stood tall, always smiled, never cried and she even memorised how to mix certain drinks.

The days when Tifa and her daddy left were the scariest of her life. Aerith had been nice to her as had Elmyra but they weren't her mother. Tifa was her mother and she had missed her terribly. When she had been kidnapped by the Turks, she had tried to copy Tifa's moves, kicking high and punching low but she had only been four years old. She had been easily outmatched.

After meteor had fallen and Denzel had joined the family, Tifa had taught her much more like how to plait her own hair and a few tips in self defence. She learned how to make more drinks and serve customers, feeling very accomplished when the customers congratulated Tifa on what a wonderful daughter she had.

But what she loved most about Tifa was the fact that she never corrected them on the fact that she wasn't really her biological daughter. She always just nodded and smiled and thanked the complimenters before sending a quick wink to Marlene.

The little girl had tried to take up martial arts like her mother but she could never really get the hang of it. Her arms were too scrawny, her legs too short and she wasn't tall enough. Ever since they had moved to the hideout, she'd been practising in her own in solitude when one day Vincent had walked in on her.

She had been embarrassed at first but after noticing the gun at his side, a brilliant idea popped into her head. With her persuasive skills, she managed to convince Vincent to teach her how to shoot and although she felt guilty for using the soft spot he had for her against him, she didn't regret it.

Now she stood down in one of the many caves with Reno, his red hair nearly illuminating the whole cavern. A small hand gun was held firmly in her hands, complete with a state of the art silencer and she shot at the target board Vincent had set up for her. Her aim wasn't too bad, she could hit a bullseye when completely focused and still but she didn't know how she would fare under pressure or if her target was moving.

She hadn't exactly told Tifa of her new hobby, neither had Yuffie, Vincent or Reno and she figured she wasn't doing anything wrong once there was someone there to supervise her. Besides that, Denzel was getting lessons from Yuffie, it was only fair that she got lessons in some form of defence too.

"You're too tense, loosen up your shoulder a little," Reno commented casually. "When you get to using bigger guns, you'll need your body to be relaxed enough so that you don't get injured from the kick-back."

"Is your speciality not using an electro-rod?" She questioned but took his advice anyway and fired another shot.

"Yes but Teef would kill me if I let you go near it, so don't even think about asking me to teach you," he responded with a cheeky grin. "Besides long-range weapons suit you better."

"I suppose," she murmured, not really listening to him as she concentrated on her target and fired her last bullet, emptying the clip. "Speaking of Tifa, do you know when I can talk to her?" she asked as she reloaded the gun exactly the way Vincent had taught her to.

"She's only been gone for three days," he pointed out. "She's been gone longer and you haven't felt the need to call her."

"Those times I knew she was safe."

Reno leaned forward with interest as she plonked herself down in front of him. "What makes you think she's not safe?"

"She's with Genesis Rhapsodos," Marlene stated bluntly as if the reason should be obvious.

"And this makes her unsafe?"

"She's in an unknown environment, filled with premium monsters, her ankle was injured and she is currently staying in the same area as one of Shinra's former yet most infamous first class SOLDIERs," she said and raised a brow. "Do you think my concerns are unjustified?"

"No, but I would like to know how you stumbled across all this information which we strived to keep under wraps from both you and Denzel."

Marlene shrugged innocently. "I eavesdropped on Aunt Yuffie and found my way into some of the files when she was asleep."

Reno cracked a grin and let out a breathy laugh. "And the great ninja didn't even notice," he whispered in amazement. "You would've made a great Turk."

He must've said the words almost automatically because as soon as he did, he turned his eyes downwards and an unrecognisable emotion crossed his features. Marlene couldn't decipher it but she was sure that it wasn't a positive one and she cocked her head to the side with curiosity.

"Do you regret it? Leaving Shinra and joining us?"

He looked slightly surprised as his eyes met her chocolate brown ones and he did his best to smile reassuringly. "Nah, I don't, I don't regret helping your mom out that day and I never will."

"But you do miss it, don't you?" She pestered, her eyes narrowing in a studious manner.

He blew out a long breath and ran a hand through his red hair indecisively. "I don't miss the job, not necessarily but I do miss the people," he admitted honestly. "Tseng could be a bit of a bas-" he cut himself off, noticing he was talking to a seven year old -"meanie at times but he was a good team leader and Elena, well, she was fun to annoy and so dedicated as well, it was almost inspiring. As for Rufus... he served as my boss for years, his father got me out of a bad situation and gave me the chance to provide for my ma when he made me a Turk. I had to work hard for it but at least I got the chance to spoil my ma before she passed away."

"Kind of like what Tifa does for me and Denzel," Marlene put in with a smile. "She works really hard to keep us happy as well."

"Yeah, but Teef does it in a much better way than I ever did," he said with a half-smile. "That's why she's such a good mother, she sets a good example. Sure look at you," he ruffled her hair playfully, "you're already taking after her."

Her eyes lit up. "Really? You think I'm like Tifa?"

"Absolutely!" He answered, his smile growing. "Sure it's no wonder you're growing up so well."

He didn't think her expression could become anymore joyful but he was wrong. She let out a laugh of delight and launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist in a tight hug and crumpling his creased shirt even further.

"Thanks Uncle Reno."

His surprised features softened and he patted her back gently. "Your welcome, kid. Just less of the 'Uncle Reno', it makes me sound like a ninety-year-old geezer."


	6. Introductions

**A/N: Well, here is chapter five, I hope you all enjoy it and again, thank you to all who have reviewed/favourited/followed this story. I really appreciate it. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII.**

Chapter Five: Introductions

On the fourth day of Tifa's stay with Genesis, her earpiece started spurting static. She didn't necessarily keep it in the whole time but she did keep it near so she could receive updates from Yuffie. For once in her life, Tifa considered Yuffie's timing to be perfect considering she was on a five minute break from training.

"Hey Teefs!" The ninja's chirpy voice came in over the piece and Tifa clicked on it with a smile, noticing Genesis' curious gaze.

"Hi Yuffie."

"How's my favourite barmaid?"

Tifa allowed her face to twist into a tight grimace as she shot a slightly pointed look toward Genesis. "Sore and tired."

There was a pause and it was too late when Tifa realised the vagueness of her words. "Oh my Holy Gaia, _Tifa_! You're supposed to be on a mission, not fooling around with your trainer! I mean I know a girl has her needs and all but _damn girl! _You bounce back fast and what a guy for the rebound! I've seen his photos, don't you dare deny it. So tell me all the juicy details about the se-"

"Yuffie!" Tifa felt her cheeks burn as bright as her eyes and she cast an embarrassed look towards Genesis who was smirking to himself discretely. "It's from the training!"

"He _trains_ you before sleeping with you!? Is that the new trend with guys nowadays or is Genesis just particular about the level of skill-?"

"Yuffie! No, we are not-" she stopped herself from saying it out loud, conscious of the SOLDIER only a few feet away. "Our relationship is strictly business-"

"Sure..."

"_Anyway_..." she ignored the jab. "I assume you called me for something important."

"Oh yeah! Marlene wants to talk to you!" There was a shuffling in the background and she found her heart speeding up with the anticipation of hearing the little girl's voice once more.

"Tifa!" Marlene practically shouted over the earpiece, her volume giving Yuffie's a run for its money. "When are you coming home? I miss you so much, Aunt Yuffie's cooking is terrible and Vincent can't do the special voices when he's reading me bedtime stories and..."

Tifa found herself smiling as Marlene listed off the little problems in her life and it reminded her of just how young her daughter truly was. She acted mature for her age and she was wiser than most but there was still a seven-year-old inside of her and Tifa loved it when she showed it.

"...but anyway, you'll be home soon, right?" Marlene finished rather breathlessly.

"Of course, sweetheart, and I'll make your favourite chicken nuggets with the special sauce when I get back," she promised not noticing Genesis' piercing look as she spoke. "How's everything there?"

"It's fine mostly, things have been pretty quiet," she answered with a slight sigh. "Vincent went off with Uncle Cid because he wanted to spend the week in Rocket Town with Shera and I think Vincent wanted to get out a bit more but he wouldn't let me come. So Uncle Reno's been keeping me company."

"And I hope you've been good for him," she put in with a motherly tone.

"Of course! He even told me I was just like you," she said cheerfully. "But he seems a bit homesick if you ask me. Are you feeling homesick?"

"Just a bit, I'm looking forward to seeing you and Denzel, I'll be home in about three days and I'll be bringing Genesis with me, if he doesn't change his mind that is."

"Is he nice?" Marlene asked worriedly before her voice turned slightly fiercer. "Does he treat you well? And with respect? Are you safe there?"

"Yes, Marlene, Genesis is a true gentleman, you'll like him," Tifa reassured her although she was touched by the young girl's concern for her well-being. "And I'm perfectly safe here, I feel a lot better now that I can use the sword decently."

"Are you as good as-" there was hesitance in her voice and Tifa knew exactly what she was asking.

_Are you as good as Cloud yet?_

But Marlene was smart, she knew just enough about Tifa's tormented emotions and feelings towards the SOLDIER, so she changed the name quickly. "Are you as good as Zack was?"

The barmaid smiled, thankful that Marlene was always looking out for ways not to bring up her second father unlike Denzel. "No, not yet, but with Genesis as my tutor, I might just get there yet."

"Well keep it up! I want to see you kick some butt when you get home!" Marlene encouraged her cheerfully. "And I want to hear everything when you get back. We can talk about it when we're eating our chicken nuggets!"

"Looking forward to it," she replied with a smile evident in her voice. "I'll see you soon, sweetheart and send my love to Denzel as well."

With that, the connection was severed and Tifa removed the earpiece slowly, wishing she could talk some more with her daughter. A sigh escaped her and she looked towards Genesis who gazed at her with calculating eyes.

"You have children?" He asked in slight shock.

"Yes, Marlene's seven and Denzel's going to be eleven soon," she answered with a smile at his perplexed look she elaborated with a slight laugh. "Denzel's parents were killed and we took him in. As for Marlene, she's my best friend's daughter but she lives with me most of the time. Her mother died when she was just a baby so she thinks of me as her mother, the same way I think of her and Denzel as my own children."

A spark of admiration ignited in his eyes and he cocked his head to the sidE. "You raised these children on your own, working as a barmaid?"

Her smile faded and she shook her head, breaking the eye contact. "No, not always but..." a flare of anger rose within her and she stood up abruptly, grabbing her sword. "For the most part, yes, I did. Now c'mon, I just got my second wind."

His charming smile was almost devilish. "That's what I like to hear."

* * *

Living in a house where one of his inmates hated his guts, another ignored him for the most part and the third was too nervous of her husband to actually make pleasantries with him was not how Cloud had planned on spending his week.

Yet that's exactly what happened.

It had been one of the longest weeks in his life, one in which he spent plenty of time doing some inner-soul-searching and planning on what he was going to say to Tifa when they finally reunited. That was the only reason he was still there, because Cid's airship was his only way to get to her and the kids. The cranky pilot wouldn't tell him about the hideout, nor would he take Cloud there prematurely. He couldn't get any information out of Vincent or Shera either.

So he had tried to construct his apology speech.

It hadn't gone well.

What could he say to her? _I'm sorry? I shouldn't have left? I was only trying to protect you?_ It was all excuses he'd used before and although they were valid, he knew they wouldn't be enough. He didn't think anything would be enough at this stage. Despite the fact that Tifa always welcomed him back with open arms, as did the kids, he couldn't help but feel that this time would be different.

He ran his hands through his spiky blonde hair and sighed. One way or another it wasn't going to be easy, not with the way he had just up and left.

"You're just going to have to be honest with her," Shera's voice came from the open doorway as though she had read his thoughts.

"She won't believe the truth," Cloud murmured in reply, his voice hopeless.

"How do you know?" She asked, coming to sit down in front of him. "After all you've been through together, all the pain, all the tears, all the fighting... and all the smiles, why on Gaia would she not believe you?"

"Because I know I hurt her badly this time. She's clever and she'll know that believing me and taking me back will only hurt her more."

"You've hurt her lots before," Shera pointed out with a raised brow. "And she's been through a lot since you left, we all have and yes she is a clever girl but she follows her heart rather than her mind. She knows that forgiving you on some level, letting you back into her life - even if it's only a tiny bit - will make Marlene and Denzel happy. That's the one thing she cares about more than anything else, the safety and happiness of her children - your children." She laid a gentle hand on his shoulder and smiled softly. "She knows you will protect them-"

"I wasn't there to protect them when the school was attacked," he interrupted bitterly.

"But Tifa was," Shera responded pointedly. "Parenting is hard and tiring at times but it's a joint effort. You weren't there but Tifa was, she protected your family and now you need to come back and protect it with her."

"I don't think she will want me to."

"Of course, she will," Shera sounded slightly impatient now. "She loves you, Cloud, she always has and she always will. She loves those children too and she knows you share that love so you need to stop running and step up, like you did with her when Sephiroth was summoning meteor."

"That seems like a lifetime ago," he muttered offhandedly.

"Well it's time to relive the past then," Shera encouraged him with a small smile although it faded slightly and she gave him a serious look, one that he knew accompanied grim or negative news. "Just remember one thing Cloud, the months that have passed by made Tifa change. She's not the same girl you once knew anymore."

That's when alarm entered his eyes and he looked towards her with an equally serious expression. "What do you mean? What happened to her?"

The hesitance in her face was blatantly obvious and her mouth opened and closed as though she was imitating a fish. No words escaped and just as he was about to ask again, the wind picked up outside, strong currents rattling the windows. He looked outwards, seeing only the outline of a helicopter and he ran past Shera, intent on seeing Tifa immediately.

However Cid pushed him back in, cursing like a sailor as Vincent followed, gun in hand. "Damn Shinra bastards found us! Shera get the hell down and don't move!" Cid ordered her harshly before he cupped the back of her neck and his expression softened slightly matching his voice. "Stay safe and let us handle this."

She nodded fervently in return, giving him a quick, nervous peck on the lips as she moved into the corner and watched fearfully. Cloud drew his sword and turned to Cid.

"What's going on?"

"Shinra's been on our tail for months now, news must've got out about our return or else some local spy saw us. Dammit!" The pilot's grip on his spear tightened as he looked out the window watching the SOLDIERs pour out of the airship. "They just keep comin'!"

"I thought the SOLDIER programme was over," Cloud said through gritted teeth.

"Only on the surface," came Vincent's reply. "What is our plan?"

"Beat the crap out of anyone who walks through that door, Shera! Contact that rude little brat of a ninja and the arrogant Turk. Tell them to get a message to Tifa that she's not safe and Shinra's getting closer to her."

"Wait, what do you mean Shinra's getting close to her? Why are they after her?" Cloud demanded.

"Shut yer mouth, Spike! We'll explain everything when we're away from these scumbags," Cid ignored his question but Cloud was having none of it.

He grabbed the front of Cid's shirt and slammed him up against the wall, his eyes sparking dangerously as the pilot yelled in rage. "I want to know exactly why Rufus is after her! Tifa is _my_ concern, I have to protect her!"

"Just like you protected her when he first took her?!" Cid yelled back and before his words could sink in, before Vincent could drag Cloud away from him, before Shera could get into contact with the others, smoke bombs crashed through the windows, shattering the glass and sending shards sprawling across the floor. The gas came next, choking their lungs and cutting off their oxygen while Vincent was forced to the ground from behind, unarmed roughly and wrists and legs restrained as an extra measure.

The last thing Cloud saw was the phone Shera had tried to use to contact Yuffie. His thoughts drifted to Tifa and her smile before he faded into darkness.

* * *

After Reno had collected them in the helicopter, it had only taken an hour or two to return to Wutai. Tifa held her sword by her side, wiping it clean of the green blood that had dirtied it while Genesis did the same with his own. There had been no other way to get to the helicopter pad and although Genesis had suggested flying, Tifa hadn't been too happy about the idea of exposing her wing in front of him just yet. She hadn't showed it to anyone really, she'd showed them the scar but never the actual wing. She just couldn't strike up the courage just yet.

Surprisingly enough, she had faired quite well against the monsters, much better than the first time anyway. She had never realised how much easier it was to kill fiends with a sword rather than fists, one well-aimed strike and they were through rather than pummelling them with her punches continuously. She had made a few mistakes, which was to be expected considering she was only a beginner. Genesis had been there every time though, cutting down any threat to her well-being and ensuring she was unharmed.

She must've fallen asleep at some stage of the helicopter ride because someone was gently calling her name and nudging her awake. Her eyelids fluttered open and a small groan crawled up her throat as she tried to go back to sleep.

"Tifa, I think we're here," Genesis' breath brushed past her ear, smooth and warm and sending numerous shiver down her spine. She was suddenly fully aware of the hardness under her cheek along with the red locks tickling her face.

She sat up suddenly, her face heating up as Genesis' catlike grin grew and he unbuckled his seat belt. "Did you have a nice sleep?" He asked kindly as he helped her up, hopping out of the helicopter and holding out a hand to escort her down.

"Y-yes, thank you," she stammered, her blush growing as she took his hand and hopped down onto the rocky cave floor.

"So this is your hideout," Genesis remarked gazing around the dimly lit cavern. "It certainly is... untraceable."

She gave him a sideways look as they made their way deeper into the tunnels. "I know it's nothing fancy like your place but don't worry, you won't be sleeping on a cave floor. We set up a small village in here and Cid ships in most of our supplies from Rocket Town so we aren't short on any resources."

His brows drew together in thought. "Rocket Town? They're not exactly known for their limitless resources or has that changed in my absence?"

"No, Shera, Cid's wife who lives in Rocket Town, orders in the supplies from Midgar and Cid then collects them," she gave him a weary look. "We can't let Shinra pick up on our tracks too quickly."

He made a grunt of approval in the back of his throat. "I see... How long exactly have you been running from Shinra?"

"A little less than a year now," she admitted with a sigh. "It's hard on the kids and on the rest of AVALANCHE, but none of us could remain where we were, it was too dangerous. Rufus wants to rebuild his SOLDIER programme and since I was the only known person with Jenova cells, he decided to try to persuade me to help him."

"By persuade, do you mean force?" He asked as they rounded a corner and his eyes settled over the small village. Tifa had been spot on when she had said it wasn't much but then again, the AVALANCHE crew had only really had a year to set it all up, he had had plenty of time to refine his old establishment.

"No, he put on a pretty convincing gentleman act at first but he made the mistake in revealing he knew about my secret," she replied her tone slightly bitter. "He didn't realise that no one else knew of my genetics and that I'd kept it under wraps for so long. So I figured he either had some of my personal records or he had seen my wing at one stage. The latter is less likely."

"So what did you say?" He asked curiously.

"I told him to leave, he refused, then I told Marlene and Denzel to close their eyes and cover their ears while I got rid of him."

The crimson general's lips twitched slightly. "I must admit I like your style. I presume you decided to go into hiding after that?"

Her features darkened even further. "No, I was naïve enough to believe Rufus would leave it at that and not come near my family again but he didn't. After the second round, in which we barely got out, I decided I needed to do something and so AVALANCHE reunited and here we are."

"Here you are indeed..." He murmured under his breath as he gazed around the small houses and high-tech lights that illuminated the cavern. "Where will we train?"

"Yuffie has an underground facility beneath her bedroom and she said we could use it if we-" she cut herself off, ears pricking beneath her long raven hair. In one swift motion she dodged to the side, grabbing the shadow that had descended upon her and restraining her captive easily.

Genesis' hand flew to the hilt of his word, his senses on high alert but he paused as he watched her hug the attacker to her chest and remove his black hat. Brown curls escaped and hung freely around his face as she ruffled his hair and small arms wrapped around her neck.

"You're not going to get me that easily Denze, but you have improved quite a bit. I see Yuffie's been teaching you well," she said as she set him down and brushed him off.

"I still can't get her either," he muttered begrudgingly.

"And you won't for a long time, but if you keep practising, you'll surpass her eventually," she replied, rubbing a bit of dirt off of his cheek. "I hope she's been feeding you well."

His nose wrinkled in disgust. "Are you mad? I didn't chance any of the stuff she took out of that oven, it was either burnt or purple, Vincent didn't even touch it."

"Vincent doesn't eat."

"He can cook though. You should see him in Yuffie's pink apron. It clashes with his cape."

The last comment made Tifa laugh and she suddenly became very aware of Genesis watching the scene with a slightly bemused expression. She stood up and placed a comforting hand on Denzel's back before looking towards the SOLDIER. "Denze, this is Genesis Rhapsodos, he's going to be teaching me how to use Zack's old sword properly. Genesis, this is my son, Denzel." She gave him a small wink. "He's also a ninja in training."

"It's nice to meet you, sir," Denzel said sticking his hand out robotically as if he'd practised this greeting for a few days.

"Likewise, Denzel, feel free to call me Genesis," he replied, shaking his hand firmly.

The barmaid opened her mouth to say something else however she was cut off her name was called in a high, excited voice. The three heads turned only to find Marlene running up the makeshift path, her bow bouncing while her plait billowed out behind her. A huge smile tugged at Tifa's lips as she bent down and scooped the girl up into a tight hug feeling Marlene grin against her shoulder.

"Tifa, I've missed you so much! And I have so much to tell you! And I can't wait to eat proper food again, Vincent is a good cook but he's not as good as you," Marlene pulled away and looked at her worriedly. "You're not going away anytime soon, are you?"

"No," Tifa replied firmly, brushing a piece of her fringe out of her face. "I'm going to stick around for a while, until I learn how to wield a sword half as good as Genesis does anyway."

"Genesis?" Marlene repeated, turning around in her arms and looking over at the redhead who watched her with glowing mako eyes. Marlene's brown ones widened considerably but she regained her composure expertly, sticking out her hand to the man and smiling politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Rhapsodos. My name's Marlene Wallace."

He shook her tiny hand in his gloved one and nodded like a gentleman in return. "The pleasure is all mine, Marlene, please call me Genesis."

"Ok," she smiled and Tifa let her down to stand beside her brother. The little girl automatically slipped her hand in her mother's and began tugging her down towards the village eagerly. "I have to show you all the pictures I drew while you were gone, and I can show you how to do long division in maths too! And Uncle Reno taught me how to play poker!"

Her smile tightened slightly and Genesis watched as a protective motherly aura radiated from her, washing over him like a tidal wave. "Oh he did, did he?" She responded, her tone not as excited as it had once been. "I think I'm going to have a talk with your_ uncle_ next time I see him."


	7. Dreams

**A/N: Happy Valentine's Day to you all and hope you enjoy this chapter. It's kind of short, I'm sorry I've been very busy with school lately but I promise the next one will be better. Thanks to all who have reviewed/followed/favourited!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII or any of the characters. All rights go to Square Enix.**

Chapter Six: Dreams

Tifa knew she was dreaming before she even pinched herself.

She stood within the lifestream. The long turquoise strands of light curled around her body and caressed her skin. Her clothes were different, she was no longer in her comfy pjs but in a ceremonial red dress with a low back and ruby sequenced sleeves. Her feet were bare and although there was no visible ground beneath her, she managed to take a few steps forward, looking into the illuminated darkness with guarded eyes.

Her skin prickled and she automatically reached behind her for her sword however her hand came up empty and she sighed tensely. Her hands curled into fists by her sides as she came to a halt, her eyes searching the never ending plain for any other presence.

"Aerith?" She called out blindly.

Silence was her answer.

"Aerith?" She tried again. Her voice echoed as if she was in a cavern, bouncing off invisible walls and causing the lifestream to vibrate in response.

"Tifa?" Aerith's voice spoke out loud and clear. She looked around for her deceased friend. She was still alone though.

"Aerith? Where are you?" She called out, hiking up her dress and beginning to run in the direction she presumed Aerith's voice had come from.

"Tifa! Wake up! Please, get out of there," the urgency in her tone made her stop and it was then she realised Aerith was in her mind, speaking through her thoughts. "You're not safe, I can't protect you-!"

Her voice cut off abruptly and Tifa waited impatiently for her to come back into her mind. It was as if a bond had been severed, a connection broken, a line snapped in two and she was left hanging on the other end.

The silence was broken by dark laughter and the lifestream around her pulsed a pure red colour to match her gown before reverting to its original shade. She drew her fists up, legs spread as far as her dress would allow and she looked around, her guard up and ready.

"How lovely you look, daughter."

She froze, her muscles tightening and veins turning to ice. A chill ran through her whole body, making goosebumps appear on her skin. She knew that voice, it was the same one that had spoken out to her eleven months ago. Cold, hard, sadistic and controlling, her voice could make even the bravest of people cower in fear.

"Mother..."

The word left her lips before she could stop it and her fists began to lower. It was as if she was in a trance, hypnotised by her voice. She couldn't remember the last time she had addressed someone as her mother. That title referred to the person who could keep their children safe, who raised them, who took care of them...

"No, you're not my mother," she said shaking her head to clear her thoughts. "You're not, you didn't raise me. My mother's dead, my mother died when I was little. You're a monster!"

"And what does that make you, daughter?"

"I am _not_ your daughter," she growled through her teeth.

"Powerful, intelligent, determined," there was a pause and the lifestream wavered in front of her, curling upwards into the form of a woman with blue skin, silver hair and a single read eye. Her heart lay at her feet, beating like a drum with numerous tubes flowing out from it. They floated in the air around her while a single wing protruded from her back, expanding outwards proudly as she smirked at Tifa. "Beautiful, just like me. Daughters always tend to take after their mothers."

Tifa visibly bristled and her fists tightened dramatically, nails digging into the palm of her hands. She opened her mouth to snarl in response but nothing came out. She didn't know what to say to her.

So she settled for screaming. "Leave me alone!"

"You wish to deny it, but you cannot," as she took a step towards her, the heart floated upwards, moving with the she-demon. "You take care of your children, you fight to protect them and," she paused, a hard looking forming in her red eye, "you've been misused by the men of this world. I can feel it in your heart. It beats and keeps your body alive as every heart does but it is cracked emotionally. You've mended it and kept it in tact for so long, I admire your resilience, but you and I both know it won't last much longer. Your heart has been broken beyond repair."

It felt as though a punch flew through her stomach. Her lip dropped and only a silent gasp escaped her mouth. She felt like getting sick. Blonde spikes and a pair of mako eyes flashed through her mind but no smile graced the handsome features, only a look of disappointment.

"So join me, join my sons," she spoke so softly yet there was a coldness to her voice. "No man will ever harm you again, no man will ever be able to even so much as breathe around you. You will be a queen, a ruby in the starry sky of diamonds. You will be cherished, appreciated, _loved_... just like you've always wanted."

As the word 'loved' left her lips, Tifa fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face. She ground her teeth together, trying to hold them back but she couldn't. It was no use. In her heart, she knew that agreeing to her mother's terms was the wrong thing to do, it was the one thing she had vowed never to do but the mere thoughts of being loved, of never being hurt, of never being vulnerable... it was all she had ever wanted.

"_Get the hell away from her!"_

There was a slicing sound and her eyes flew open as she sat up in bed. Two hands held her at arm's length, their grip sore and tight on her forearms. Someone was calling her name but it wasn't the same voice from her dream. Her vision wouldn't focus, the tears wouldn't stop falling, her limbs wouldn't stop shaking and her lungs couldn't suck in any oxygen.

A sharp clap resounded through the room and her cheek flared with heat before the pins-and-needles sensation took over. She looked into the worried eyes of Genesis, whose hand was raised to deliver another in case she went into shock again. He didn't ask her any questions, he didn't wait for any answers because she knew by the look in his eyes he had experienced similar nightmares before.

So he merely hugged her close and let her cry into his shoulder, rocking her gently and muttering comforting lines from Loveless. He held her until she had no more tears left to shed, until she was exhausted from trying to banish the nightmares.

"It's going to be alright, Tifa, it's going to be alright..."

They both knew it was a lie.

* * *

The lifestream surrounded Cloud on all sides, so much so that it was almost disorientating. He wondered if he was hallucinating again, or if this was some mind trick imposed by drugs from Shinra. How he came to be in this place and what happened before were all muddled into an incoherent memory but he could distinctly remember that rat Rufus being there.

Damn Shinra traitor.

He took a step forwards and it was as if he had flicked on a light switch. The lifestream pulsed a crimson colour briefly before returning to its blue state. The tremor that he had felt from it though... it was worrying. It was fear, anger and evil, all wrapped up in one vibration.

"Leave me alone!"

He knew that voice, he had heard the anguish in it long ago. Dear Gaia, he hadn't heard her voice in a long time, too long. He'd missed it so much, the only time he had ever heard it was in his dreams or distant memories. The fact that it seemed so close now made him think that perhaps this was a dream that he was suspended in but it all felt so real, the same way as the fear in her voice did.

His feet were moving before he even knew it, he was sprinting through the stands of the planet's life as if his own life depended on it. A flash of red made him stop and he froze on the spot, his eyes trained on the beautiful woman who stood in front of a hideous monstrosity.

Her red dress was stunning, it brought out her eyes and hugged her curvy figure. The red lace that covered her arms wrapped perfectly around her tones biceps and the small rubies that decorated it shone brighter than the lifestream itself. Her hair, long and silky black as ever, hung in long strands behind her back. She must've grown it out while he was gone.

"You wish to deny it but you cannot. You take care of your children, you fight to protect them and you've been misused by the men of this world. I can feel it in your heart. It beats and keeps your body alive as every heart does but it is cracked emotionally. You've mended it and kept it in tact for so long, I admire your resilience, but you and I both know it won't last much longer. Your heart has been broken beyond repair."

And it was his fault. He knew that. Jenova, the calamity of the sky, the conqueror of worlds, was completely right. She read Tifa like an open book and Tifa was never one to show her emotions so openly. Had he really done so much damage to her that she was completely beyond repair? Was this what Shera meant when she had said Tifa had changed over the past few months?

"So join me, join my sons. No man will ever harm you again, no man will ever be able to even so much as breathe around you. You will be a queen, a ruby in the starry sky of diamonds. You will be cherished, appreciated, _loved_... just like you've always wanted."

He watched the raven beauty fall to her knees, hands fisting into the floor as clear droplets of sorrowful liquid poured down her face like crystal waterfalls. Pain was written across her face, emotional pain and just like that he could see her heart. It beat strongly, it shone with light, but it was cracked. It was damaged. Jagged lines ran all over it and they seemed to grow larger as she cried, as Jenova drew closer a blue hand reaching out towards Tifa's heart.

That's when he lost it.

He drew his sword, charging towards the alien, a snarl curling upon his lips._ "Get the hell away from her!" _He yelled, bringing the sword down in one swift arc. He never knew if it made contact or not because Tifa suddenly disappeared in a burst of red sparks and Jenova hissed menacingly at him. He felt someone pull him back, drag him down into the darkness of his sleep before into the cruel dimly lit reality of consciousness.

On the inside of a Shinra prison cell.

* * *

Shera gradually awoke only to find herself in a dark, damp room. Her head pounded and her breathing came slow and heavy while she tried to recollect the events prior to this moment. Her eyesight was quite blurry due to the disappearance of her glasses and as she tried to stand up, she heard chains clinking. Shackles tugged at her wrists and ankles as she moved towards the bars and she leaned as far as she could, looking for her husband.

"Cid?" She called in a hoarse voice before clearing her throat. "Cid?"

Fear crept into her heart as she received no answer and she began to tremble uncontrollably. In all of her life she had never felt so afraid. Cid could be harsh at times but he had never let her be alone or feel vulnerable, he had always been there to protect her but now, he was nowhere in sight.

"Hello?" She called out blindly. "Is anyone there?"

Silence was her answer once again and she clutched her stomach gently, an action she had grown used to in the past few weeks. Her skin was still warm, thank Holy, but in her current state of dress, it wouldn't remain like so for long.

"Please! Can anyone hear me?" She called out more desperately this time.

The sound of a door opening reached her ears and she tried to move nearer to the bars. Light flooded the corridor and hope grew within her, like a seed flowering in the sunlight.

"Cid? Is that you?"

"I'm afraid not, Mrs. Highwind," a feminine voice replied. A short woman with a slim figure and neatly cropped blonde hair appeared in front of her. She was dressed in a prim suit and Shera didn't miss the gun tucked into her side.

"Is he alright? Where are my friends? Can you take me to them?" The questions poured out of her mouth before she could stop them.

"I do not have permission to answer any of your questions," she replied formally. "I was merely sent to bring you food and water."

It was then Shera noticed the saucer and cup in her hands, along with the guard by her side who held the keys to the facility. Her heart sank in her chest but she refused to simply give in, she couldn't, if not for her own sake but for the sake of her family.

"Elena, please," she whispered, her eyes tearing up. "Could you bring me to my husband, I have something important I need to tell him."

"I can relay the message."

"No, I need to see him myself, to tell him," she gulped, trying to rid herself of the lump in her throat, "I need to tell him that he's going to be a father."

Her news seemed to break through Elena's cold shell because the Turks' eyes widened in surprise before they softened slightly. "You're pregnant?"

"Yes," she replied shakily. "Please, Elena, I'm begging you, just let me see him once. I promise I won't try anything, I wouldn't risk my baby's life-"

"Open the door and remove her cuffs immediately," Elena ordered, cutting her off.

"But ma'am-"

"Do not question me, you are my subordinate and you will obey my commands," she snapped before turning back to Shera. "There's no need to worry, I will do my best to arrange a meeting for you and your husband and I'll make sure you're relocated to a more comfortable, secure area."

For a minute, she thought she had misheard the female Turk but then the key turned in the lock and the bars were pushed aside. Her eyes were innocent and wide as she stared at Elena while the cuffs fell away and her wrists and ankles were free. She took a hesitant step forward as Elena handed the food and water to her subordinate rather roughly before turning to her with softened eyes.

"There's no need to be afraid, you have my word that no harm will come to either you or your baby," she reassured her. Her brows drew together and she cocked her head to the side slightly. "You seem confused."

"I just didn't expect you to be so..." Shera tried to find the right word, "nice and helpful."

The Turk's lips curled upwards but the smile was not one of happiness, Shera could sense the regret in it. "We may not be on the same side of the battlefield, but I can understand a mother's protectiveness of her unborn," she said as she began to lead the way out of the cell block, " and the need to tell the father before it's too late."


	8. Materia

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you guys are amazing! Hope you all like this next chapter! :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy Seven or any of its characters**.

Chapter Seven: Materia

A week passed by without incident. Each day was very much the same for Tifa and she found it comforting to get into a smooth, steady ritual. She got up at the crack of dawn, made breakfast for her and Genesis and sometimes Marlene (who liked to get up early on some mornings) and they went straight to the training room. The lessons were long and tiring for her but with each day she found herself becoming stronger and more accustomed to Genesis' techniques. She had often been described as a fast learner but she had never really believed it until now.

She knew that when she gave an answer and Genesis raised one of those perfectly shaped brows that he wanted a different answer. When his eyes narrowed, she knew her form or technique was either sloppy or incorrect. When his lips twitched, he had found her action amusingly pathetic and when he gave a firm nod, she knew he was pleased with her.

She learned to read his body language and use it to her advantage, especially when they were sparring. Genesis had said that her inhuman attributes would aid her in battle but they would be harder to ignore afterwards and she had begun to understand what exactly he meant by that. She could hear Marlene run towards her before the girl even came into the room. Her reflexes had heightened incredibly, she was able to dodge faster and act faster than ever before. She began to notice small things, like the nearly indistinguishable freckles on Yuffie's cheeks or the honeycomb highlights in Genesis' fiery hair, or the liquid metal-like texture of Reno's eyes. It scared her in ways yet it benefited her in others and she remained undecided on whether she disliked it or not.

She and Genesis were now in the underground facility after having just eaten breakfast. Yuffie had taken Denzel off for the day to train in the woods near the Great Padoga while Reno had kept Marlene company. In a way, Tifa was happy that her children were faring so well with the rest of AVALANCHE, at least she knew they weren't bored or lonely or feeling neglected. It also gave her the opportunity to place all of her concentration into her training.

The first hour of training had mostly been revision, going over what she knew and making sure she had everything perfect. He set her little tests and she passed them, but she couldn't say she had done it with flying colours. Her mind kept travelling back to the nightmares she had been experiencing. That voice kept ringing in her ears, setting her nerves on edge and sending cold shivers down her spine. She felt as though she was being watched twenty-four/seven and she hated it.

When she sat down on the floor for the first part of their break, she noticed her hands were trembling. Clenching her fists did nothing to stop the sensation and so she redid her pony tail, trying not to let Genesis notice.

It was a futile effort on her part.

"It helps to talk about the nightmares," he said softly as he came to sit down in front of her. "I realise that you may not have liked to in the past or you may not have wanted to because it would be hard for your friends to understand. However, it is of the utmost importance that you have a clear head especially while in training and battle and sharing the burden of your nightmares will ease the pain."

"I don't want to place that kind of burden on you," she replied honestly.

"I would prefer if you did rather than have it all on your own shoulders," he said. "When I went through this, I had two friends who were in the same situation to confide in. You've never had that but now you do. There's no need to keep everything locked away anymore."

She let out a long breath and paused for a few minutes, collecting her thoughts. She knew he was right, that keeping this kind of stuff inside was not good for her mental health or for her training. But letting him know how she felt... about what she had said to Jenova... it was hard.

"She asked me to join her," she whispered quietly. "She called me her daughter, I called her mother," her voice dropped in shame. "She seemed to know me so well, she knew how I felt about everything, she knew what I was thinking and she..." She trailed off and shut her eyes in an attempt to block out the voice, feeling a lump form in her throat.

"She knew your greatest desire and biggest fear?" He asked softly.

"Yes..." she whispered, her voice hoarse as she drew her knees up to her chest. "And I was so close to accepting her offer. I knew it was wrong but I wanted to so badly. I don't know what I would've done had-" she cut herself off and shut her mouth, not wanting to say it. Even after all these months of surviving on her own, after all the time she had been alone with the kids going through one day after another, she would've thought she was independent.

But in the end, she needed to be saved by him again.

That one promise that they had made beneath the stars when they were children, it seemed to be etched into her cracked heart. Even in her dreams she believed he would come save her, but if Jenova were to come face her in real life, would he be there? Would he come to her rescue?

She wanted to say 'yes' and she wanted to answer 'no' as well. The truth was, she didn't know. She hadn't seen or heard from Cloud in the last eleven months, she didn't even know of he was alive. How horrible was that? Not knowing if her childhood friend, the man she had lived with, who she had shared so much with, the father figure of her own children, was even alive?

But then again, he probably didn't know if she was even alive or not either.

The thought sent rage through her system and she got to her feet, looking down on Genesis. "I don't want to talk anymore, I want to train," she declared firmly. "I want to become stronger."

He released a sigh and stood up, the look in his eyes almost one of disappointment. Not at all what she had been expecting from him. "Anger should not be the fuel that keeps you going in battle," he chastised her. "Believe me, it never works. I learned that the hard way." He reached forward and took the sword out of her grip, propping it against the wall.

"What are you-?"

"We are going to practise a different technique and give your sword a break for today," he interrupted calmly, leading her over to the centre of the floor where her box of materia lay. He sat down ordering her to lie on her back in front of him and she complied, albeit skeptically.

"I want you to relax your whole body and just focus on your breathing," he ordered gently, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

"Can I ask what it is we're doing?" She inquired as she did as she was told.

"We're going to focus on your mental health and magic today," he said as he removed his jacket and propped it under her head as a cushion. She opened her mouth however he gave her a firm look that told her not to say anymore. "Now close your eyes and remain still, not like a statue but naturally still as though you are comfortable and do not wish to move."

"But I'm not," she stated honestly.

"Then _pretend_."

She sighed and shifted into a slightly less uncomfortable position before focusing on her breathing and feeling her chest rise and fall gently. All she could hear was her breath and his own in the empty training room, constantly inhaling and exhaling in sync. His presence beside her was comforting and it helped her relax as she felt herself drift into a state of semi-consciousness.

"Now, do not say a word and continue to focus on nothing but your breathing and the sound of my voice," he said and she heard him shuffle slightly, meddling with a bag of sorts. "You will feel small cool objects touch your skin but try not to flinch, I promise, they will not hurt you and the coldness will fade once your body heat transfers into them."

One by one, she felt small circular objects be placed on her shins, hands and arms, finally finishing at her shoulders. She could count about sixteen in total, lacing every part of her bare skin. True to his word, the coldness began to fade and soon she could hardly feel the objects on her limbs anymore.

"I've just placed sixteen different types of materia on your body," he said softly. "I don't want you to worry and I know you must feel rather uncomfortable at the thought of absorbing them into your body however I recommend doing it. These materia were born from the mako energy that keeps our planet alive. They connect us to the lifestream and absorbing them will only strengthen your spirit and will power."

He was right when he said she wasn't comfortable with it. That was an understatement. She knew because of her Jenova cells she could absorb materia into her body, not just her weapon but she hated doing it. It reminded her that she was born to be a weapon, a vessel to house materia, strength and intelligence, a biological machine used to fight wars and destroy worlds.

She'd absorbed materia before, but never sixteen and never all at once. Every nerve in her body screamed at her to move just an inch and let the spheres roll off of her and rid her skin of them but a small piece of her heart told her to stop and wait for one second, to try and to trust Genesis.

And she was always one to follow the heart's call.

So ever so slowly, she began to focus on the body heat she was transferring into the materia. She pictured it dissolving into her skin and glowing like a rainbow lantern. She held onto the image, keeping her body relaxed and breathing steady. She felt each piece give birth to a vibration that sent shivers along her skin and she felt as though it was a good sign. Her muscles quivered as it felt as though liquid were pouring into them and she could faintly hear Genesis inhale in anticipation.

A stinging sensation washed over her skin and she involuntarily winced although she managed to keep her body still. She heard Genesis encourage her and say something about relaxing and not fighting it however his voice faded away until she could not longer hear it. The feeling of the floor beneath her back disappeared as did the materia.

She opened her eyes to flames and burning buildings. Trees as black as charcoal fell and splintered, their smoking leaves fluttering about the air before burning to ashes. Sparks flew through her misty surroundings and the thick grey smoke clogged her throat. It was like Neibelheim all over again except more terrifying.

For a long minute, she merely stood there, her eyes taking in the horror around her and once she felt ready, she took a shaky step forward through the ashes that had fallen like snow on the ground. It was then she noticed she was wearing her crimson dress again, the same one she adorned in most of her nightmares.

She gasped and tried to claw the dress to shreds, desperate to remove the sickening material from her skin once and for all. She felt claustrophobic in it, as though it was squeezing the life out of her. Tears formed in her eyes and her teeth gritted together but her efforts were in vain.

Two arms snaked themselves around her waist, stilling her hands as a firm chest pressed against hers. Cloud had once hugged her this way, Genesis had once tackled her this way and one time she had accidentally walked backwards into Vincent's body but she instantly knew this figure belonged to none of them.

"You look absolutely _ravishing_ in that dress, sister," a smooth, silky, sadistic voice whispered in her ear. "It matches the flames of destruction you are destined to create."

The warm breath that ghosted over her cheek and ruffled her hair made her stomach lurch and she tensed all over. Her body wouldn't respond to her commands, her skin exploded in goosebumps and shivers of disgust wracked her being. She knew that voice, she knew that body, she had heard and felt both in her nightmares and in reality.

_Sephiroth_.

Her heart began to race in her chest as vibrations travelled from his body to hers as he laughed. Tresses of silver hair blew in front of her face in the wind and she tried to will her body to push him off and run away. It was as if her blood had frozen and muscles were encased in ice, she couldn't move at all. She was practically helpless.

_Stop that. You are not helpless, Tifa! _She told herself fiercely. _This is just a dream, you need to wake up and go back to Genesis. Think of Genesis, think of Denzel, think of Marlene! This is just a dream, it is not real!_

"You think this is a dream? How naive you are," Sephiroth whispered with a deep laugh. "I will never be just a nightmare. I am your reality."

"No!"

The arms loosened, there was a masculine gasp of both surprise and annoyance and the flames were swept away by a white wind. The dress scattered into scarlet dust and she closed her eyes against the blinding light.

She awoke in Genesis' arms, half sitting in his lap and curled in a protective ball. Materia scattered the ground around them as he rocked her gently and held her protectively, stroking her hair. Tears flowed freely down her face and she fisted her hands into his jacket as her sobs resounded around the arena.

"I'm sorry, Tifa," he whispered softly, his voice kind and remorseful. "I promise, I'll never ask you to do that again."

* * *

The very next morning Cid and Vincent had still not returned as Yuffie had hoped they would. She sat in her bedroom, communicating equipment sprawled around her as she tried once again to get in contact.

It was unlike Vincent and Cid not to answer their communicators. They couldn't exactly use their PHS's anymore, they were too easy to track and letters were too outdated. The two of them understood how important it was to stay in touch and the fact that they were supposed to return a week ago was worrying.

As if on cue, the queen of worry herself walked into the room, followed closely by Reno.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Tifa asked, her brows drawing together in the smallest gesture of anxiety.

The ninja was about to answer however one good look at Tifa made her hesitate. Dark circles littered the skin beneath her eyes, their maroon colour had lost its usual spark and her cheeks were void of any colour. "Geez Teefs, you look awful."

"Thanks," she responded as she rolled her eyes, "is that all you wanted to say to me?"

"Seriously, you look really unwell, are you sure you should be training today?" Yuffie asked.

"I'm fine," she tried to keep the snap out of her voice. "Now what's the situation?"

"Cid and Vincent aren't answering their communicators and they haven't retuned yet. They were supposed to be here over a week ago with a fresh load of supplies. I've rang Shera's house and her own communicator but there's still no answer. I'm not sure if it's anything to worry about but-"

"I'll head to Rocket Town and check it out," Tifa cut her off immediately. She grabbed her earpiece off the table. "I'll stay in constant contact and let you know what's happening-"

"Woah, there Teef," Reno stepped in and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, his gaze growing slightly worried as she flinched at his touch. "You can't just go out by yourself, besides, how would you even get there? You can't fly a helicopter."

"But I can fly," she replied, a hint of bitterness in her tone. She caught the look her two comrades shared and she inhaled a silent breath and out on her best fake smile. "I'll be fine and I need you here, Reno, if anything goes wrong, I'm counting on you to be able to fly everyone to safety."

"Take Genesis with you then," Yuffie suggested. "I'll feel better if someone goes with you."

"I can't ask him to do that," she shook her head solemnly. "I can't ask him to open his wing, he may not want to."

"Why not?" the ninja persisted, ignoring the look Reno was giving her as he mouthed 'leave it alone'.

"Because it's the one obvious sign that we are not human," Tifa said as she began to make her way out of the room. "When you can't see something, it's easy to pretend it doesn't exist."

Reno caught her arm as she was going out the door and he gave her the most honest look she'd ever seen him wear. His grip on her arm tightened briefly in a squeeze of comfort and she managed to find some relief in the action. "Are you alright with it? Are you sure you want to stop pretending?"

"I have to at some stage," she replied with a shrug and he nodded in return, releasing her arm.

"Then good luck and stay in touch, I'll have the helicopter ready in case anything goes wrong."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that."


	9. Plans

**A/N: I apologise for the late chapter update, I've been so busy recently and my exams are coming up soon so updates will become less regular. But after that it's summer! And I plan to have this finished before the end of it! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII, all rights go to Square Enix.**

Chapter Eight: Plans

Tifa didn't tell Genesis that she would have to skip training for the day, or at least put it off until later. She asked Marlene to tell him, knowing her trainer wouldn't get mad in front of a little girl. In all fairness, she had never seen Genesis get cross and she couldn't picture him throwing a tantrum. He did take training seriously though and she was sure he wasn't too happy about her absence.

She was also afraid he would actually offer to come with her. She didn't know if she was ready to expose her wing to anyone yet. She had lost so many hours of sleep due to the visions and nightmares that had been plaguing her for the last week and now, she felt like being alone. She just wanted to cool down and collect herself.

What better way to do that than soar through the clouds?

She reached Rocket Town in less than an hour and she had to admit, it had been tiring. She landed in the forests near the village and walked the rest of the way, making sure no one saw her. The old man who usually stood by his house was no longer there and she took it as a bad omen. Drawing her sword, she held it out in front of her, the same way Genesis had taught her. She knew something was wrong, she could feel it in her bones.

As soon as she got near Cid's house, it was evident there was no one home. The airship was gone and Cid's front door was wide open, hanging off its hinges. The slight breeze made it creek awkwardly and loudly in the quiet town and some of the windows were smashed. Bullets marred the walls, hopefully from Vincent's gun and she could taste the stale gas in the air. She moved inside the house without hesitation noticing the over-turned furniture, the slashes in the couches, the unwashed plates that Shera would never allow to be left on the table.

"Yuffie, do you copy?" She said into her earpiece.

"Loud 'n' clear, Teefs, what did you find?"

"An empty, damaged house with no airship," she replied grimly. "Vincent, Cid and Shera are gone. It looks like they were taken and I'm pretty sure I know who's responsible."

"Wait, Teefs, are you absolutely positive they were taken?"

"Yes, Yuffie, honestly you should see the house. It's a mess. The curtains are ripped, the windows are shattered, there's still dirty laundry in the laundry basket and there are bullet marks everywhere. Thankfully, there's no bodies."

"Alright, you've proven your point, what are you going to do now?"

"I'm going... to..." she trailed off as her eyes caught something shining on the floor in the guest bedroom. Her hand closed around the key with a wolf chain hanging from it, it's grey teeth bared in a snarl while the jagged key glinted in the light of the sun.

Her hand unconsciously began to shake, making the keys rattle. She couldn't take her eyes off of it. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked wildly around the bedroom, her inhumanly enhanced nose picking up on a very familiar smell.

Cloud's smell.

"Teefs? Do you copy? Teefs? _Tifa_?!"

"Yuffie..." She breathed as she stumbled out the door, her eyes falling on a jet black motorcycle hidden carefully within the bushes surrounding the house. "Cloud... he was here."

The ninja must've been drinking something at the time because the sound of liquid splashing from her mouth could be heard as she coughed and spluttered on the other end of the line. "What?! Are you sure?"

"I'm positive," she replied in a firmer voice. "He left his keys in the guest bedroom, Fenrir is parked outside, I'm standing beside it right now." Her eyes widened in hope. "Do you think he was looking for me?"

"Teefs... I thought we said we wouldn't go down this road again-"

"I know but Yuffie, what if he-?"

"Tifa, stop it," her best friend's voice was unwavering and strong. "He left and he never came back. He didn't care eleven months ago and he won't care now."

Her words were harsh and sent a cruel stab through her chest. The pain only grew worse when she realised that the ninja was absolutely correct. Why would Cloud start searching for her now? It had been nearly a year and she had heard not a word from him, not even an explanation much less an apology.

"Teefs," Yuffie's voice had grown softer, remorse lacing through it. It made Tifa's eyes burn with tears and she had to force them back. "You're only gonna end up getting your heart broken if you do this again."

_Your heart has been broken beyond repair._

Shivers ran up and down her spine as that dreaded voice echoed inside her head. Her fist tightened around the key, making it cut into her palm but the pain managed to drag her back into reality.

"You're right, Yuffie."

Another surprised splutter and cough. "Sorry, I'm _what_?"

"You're right, now is not the time to be getting into that sort of business," Tifa said as she swung her leg over Fenrir and placed the key into the ignition. "Tell everyone to get back to base within the next hour, I'll meet you there."

"Teefs, hold up, you just flew from Wutai to the West continent, how will you get back without tiring-?"

"I'll take Fenrir," she cut her off sharply.

"No, absolutely not, Tifa Lockhart you better turn that machine off right now! For one thing, you don't even know how to drive it and secondly, how do you plan on getting to Wutai? By driving on top of the water?"

"I'll take the newly constructed tunnel that links Wutai to the West Continent," she said as she floored the engine, feeling the wind rush through her hair as she gained speed. Dirt spurted upwards behind her as she steered it expertly out of Rocket Town, heading north to the tip of the continent. "And, honestly, for how long did you think I didn't know how to drive Fenrir?"

"I never knew you could," she admitted. "But would that old spiky head not have been angry about you driving his precious giant around?"

The corners of her lips twitched upwards. "What Cloud didn't know couldn't hurt him."

* * *

Around two hours later, the remains of Avalanche gathered in the meeting room. They had shifted table and chairs so that everyone could have a seat in the slightly cramped room. Yuffie sat on the top of a couch, Barrett sat beside her feet with Marlene in his lap. Reeve sat neatly in a desk chair, his suit prim and proper, while Reno and Rude stood against the wall behind him. Tifa stood at the top of the room, back against the desk with Denzel sitting on it beside her and Genesis standing close by.

Even though the room was packed with friends she had known for years, it still felt empty without Cid, Vincent and Shera.

And Cloud.

"Alright," she said, slamming her hands against the desk more to clear her own thoughts than get everyone's attention. "Here's the situation; Cid, Vincent and Shera have been captured by Shinra and we are assuming they are alive. I'm not sure how Shinra found them, from the remains of the house I would say they were ambushed which would lead me to believe Shinra knew their location for some time." She paused and took a small breath. "There's also a chance Cloud could be with them."

Everyone had a different reaction to her last statement. Yuffie's face softened with sympathy towards her, Denzel's grew full of hope, Marlene looked torn and worried, Barrett seemed enraged, Reeve's features tightened and Reno and Rude shared a solemn glance. She didn't get the chance to see Genesis' reaction.

Barrett's fist tightened by his side. "I bet those Shinra bast-"

"Language, daddy!" Marlene scolded him strictly.

"Sorry, darlin'," he said immediately, his voice and face softening before hardening once more as he continued on his rant. "I bet they followed that spiky jerk straight to Cid's house! After eleven months of hiding and making no contact with us, he finally shows his face and leads Shinra straight to us!"

"That may be true, just be thankful it wasn't our main base of operations," Reeve muttered resting his chin on his fist.

"Cloud wouldn't do it on purpose though," Yuffie spoke up. Her eyes were wide and she looked more innocent than Tifa had ever seen her as their eyes met. "Would he?"

"No," Tifa shook her head and wrapped an arm around Denzel when she saw him pale slightly. "But Rufus may have coaxed him into doing it without him realising so, the same way he tried to do with me at the start."

"Why would he leave his keys and motorcycle behind then?" Barrett spoke up with a snort of disgust. "He either helped them of his own free will and they betrayed him or he turned up at Cid's door spontaneously and at the wrong time."

"Does it really matter how Cloud came to be there?" Marlene spoke up, her voice high-pitched. "Is getting them out of there not what matters most?"

There was a moment of silence, one in which Denzel shared a nod of appreciation with Marlene. Barrett's fiercely angry expression fell and Yuffie looked at Tifa with a nod of agreement. Reeve looked down, not wanting to express himself and in the end it was Reno who stepped forward.

"She's right, yo," he said, standing forward from his position against the wall. "I'm not gonna lie, I'm not Strife's biggest fan either but even he doesn't deserve to be a prisoner of Shinra. This isn't all about him either, the drunk pilot, his amazing cook of a wife and the vampire are in there too. Look at how empty this room is without them, yo! We need to get them back and you know they'd do the same for any of us."

"We need a plan," Reeve spoke up firmly. "We have to infiltrate the Shinra building stealthily and free our friends without being noticed. Only then can we secure their safety."

"That's easier said than done," Rude muttered darkly.

"Hey, we did it when Shinra was in its prime, we snuck in right under their noses and we got right up to the top floor even with the notoriety of AVALANCHE on our heads," Barrett shared a knowing smirk with Tifa. "If we could do it then, we can do it now!"

"You managed to infiltrate the Shinra building before Rufus' reign?" Genesis asked from behind her, his voice slightly higher than usual as he raised a brow.

"And once after, to stop the Diamond W.E.A.P.O.N.," Marlene nodded with glee and Tifa smiled at her pride despite the fact that she hadn't even been there.

"Well I must say I'm impressed that you all accomplished such a feat while Shinra was in its top state," the red-head praised them with a nod of his head. He uncrossed his arms and pushed himself off against the wall coming to stand beside Tifa. "However Shinra will have learned from its mistakes and they will be expecting us to launch a rescue mission."

"We could take 'em by air, fireball and baldy could fly us in with you two," Barrett said nodding towards Tifa and Genesis. "We'd fall right on top of Rufus, take him hostage and demand him to release our friends. Bam! Problem solved!"

"He'll expect us to go in by air, especially with Reno and I here," Tifa shook her head in dismissal. "Besides, we need a foolproof plan, one that will get us in undercover and one that will get us all out safely and I can't let Genesis come."

"What?" Half of the room chorused in response, including the crimson general himself. He looked appalled by the idea of staying behind and absolutely shocked, much like the rest of them.

"I asked you to train me and that's all I will ask from you," she said honestly with a nod of her head. "Not only that but Shinra has remained ignorant of your existence for years now, I'm not going to wreck your chances of staying incognito."

She held his gaze for a long moment, mako clashing with a bright maroon and it seemed so familiar. Standing in a room, conversing about plans for future missions, arguing the best choice of action with Cloud. Back when they had been a team in AVALANCHE with everyone this was a common event. She had often cherished the nights when she and Cloud had stayed up extra late, just going over the plan with one another. Her blushing at the moments their hands touched and him tucking a hair behind her ear when he felt he couldn't see enough of her eyes.

She was back there now, staring not at a crimson general but at a childhood sweetheart whose eyes she would always adore. The rest of the room faded around the two of them and she let her firm expression falter while her knees became weak. The look in his eyes was unwavering and full of resolve as though he would not give in. It was a look she had tried to mimic many times in her life.

She never felt she had succeeded though.

"Tifa, I will not just stand by and do nothing if the rest of you are fighting and risking your lives," Genesis broke her out of her thoughts with his stern and passionate voice. "If I can do anything at all that will aid you in this mission then please allow me to do so."

"I don't want to put a label on you Genesis, but in truth, you are our wildcard, or our last resort," Tifa began slowly. "I respect that you would be willing to help us despite the fact that you don't know us very well but I was actually hoping you could stay here..." She took a deep breath and looked at him pleadingly, "...with my children."

There was another pause before Marlene hopped out of her father's lap and looked at her with a gaze of absolute betrayal. "You mean you're not taking us with you?"

"But-!"

Tifa bent down to Denzel's level and looked him straight in the eye, cutting off whatever he was about to say. She felt tears gather behind her eyes, partially because she had never felt like the 'bad-guy' in her relationship with the kids and partially because of the stress building up on her shoulders. His brown eyes widened and stared into her own which were full of emotion and honesty as always.

"Listen," she whispered to him softly but fiercely, her grip tightening on his shoulders. "I couldn't protect you and Marlene during the events of geostigma. I couldn't find you a cure, I left you alone and you were kidnapped, I tried to fight back and Marlene was taken from me. I cannot let that happen again, do you hear me?"

"It wasn't your fault," Denzel whispered back softly, shaking his head. He placed his hands over his mother's, gently stroking her wrists with his fingertips. "I chose to go-"

"But I wasn't there, even though you went of your own free will, I should've been there to make sure you didn't get in trouble," she cut him off. "I should've been more careful and I'm not going to make the same mistake this time." She pulled him into a hug, crushing him against her chest and he wrapped his own arms around her. "That's why you're staying here with Genesis, because his skills are legendary and I trust him with more than my life; I trust him with you."

She broke away from Denzel and stood to her full height, looking towards the frozen SOLDIER. His face was a mixture of surprise and awe, as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard. She returned his uncertain gaze with a steely from one of her own. "Can you do this for me? Can you keep my children safe while I'm away?"

"Yes, yes I will," Genesis nodded once in agreement, his mako eyes hardening in resolve. "I promise you, I will protect them with my life."

Tifa's face broke into a smile of appreciation and she nodded once, her raven hair swishing with the action. "Thank you."

A throat cleared from the other end of the room and Yuffie hopped down from her perch on top of the couch, regarding Tifa suspiciously yet with a confident smirk. "With the way your talking, Teefs, I'd say you've already got a plan in mind," the ninja raised a single dark brow. "You wanna share it with us?"

The brawler gave her friend a knowing look before walking around the desk and pointing down at a point on the map of the Shinra building. "Alright, here's what I was thinking..."

* * *

Rufus Shinra was a proud man and he had justified reasons as to why.

He had survived an attack from the Diamond WEAPON, overcome geostigma, rebuilt half of the old Shinra building and managed to revive even a small bit of the infamous SOLDIER programme.

And now he had set the perfect trap for Miss Tifa Lockhart.

"Mr. President, sir," Tseng and Elena addressed him in unison before Tseng stepped forward, his face as serious as always. "We have secured the members of AVALANCHE in the prison block of the laboratories, sir. SOLDIERs patrol each of the corridors and they receive an adequate amount of food and water daily."

"Mrs. Shera Highwind was moved into a cell with her husband on my command, sir," Elena spoke up, taking a step forward. "I also relocated them to a comfier cell as she is pregnant, sir."

She paused, waiting for the president to either blow up or shoot her down where she stood. She remained still with the proper stance, chin held high as she had been taught when she first joined the Turks.

Rufus did neither though, instead he nodded firmly in agreement. "Good, if her friends are treated well, she will have more reason to believe our cause is just. I want you to hold off on the interrogations for now, I doubt we will retrieve any more useful information from them at this stage."

"We could exercise more forceful methods of persuading them to talk, sir," Tseng suggested. "We've obtained absolutely no information from them as it is."

"I realise that, however the co-ordinates from the Highwind's last launch have proved worthy enough for us," Rufus said, the corners of his lips curling upwards. "We have the location of their base and we have her comrades. We've placed the ball in her court now and I can't wait to see what she does."

"Sir, don't you think we should strengthen our defences?" Elena suggested professionally. "We don't know the full capacity of Miss Lockhart's power and skills. We never studied a specimen like her-"

"I am well aware of her uniqueness, hence why I wish to have her in my custody once again," the president cut her off calmly. "I also know that she will not launch a full-on assault if her friends' lives are at stake."

"The extensive amount of Jenova cells may have altered her human conscious-"

"I highly doubt that, Elena, or else she would have abandoned her children and friends and tried to follow in her mother's footsteps," he said matter-of-factly. "Now tell me, is Hojo's new form fully ready for experimentation? I'm not exactly fond of the scientist however he does have an excellent mind and if our plans are to be completed; he needs to have full control of his limbs. I imagine Miss Lockhart will not be a cooperative subject."

"Yes sir, he has passed all the necessary tests and the back-up files of his conscious are loaded onto three separate computers in case anything goes wrong," Tseng replied with a curt nod of his head. "He is currently in the premium laboratory and has access to all of Miss Lockhart's files."

"Excellent," Rufus have him a vicious smile. "Now all we must do is wait."

"Yes sir," the responded in unison before turning and marching out the door.

Rufus waited for the door to close after them before swivelling around in his chair and stepping towards the grand window. The dark skies of Midgar stretched our far ahead, the people roaming the city less mournfully than they had over a year ago. Since then he had invested money into building homes and shelters, renovating the destroyed capital and gradually regaining the people's trust.

_What ignorant fools,_ he thought.

He wouldn't make the same mistake of letting out Shinra's secrets again. He'd learned from his downfall and he knew now why it happened that way. The people were merely bugs that had to be given small crumbs to be kept happy and he was the giant human who had to keep his image clean yet still remain powerful.

His angel was the key to it all.

"You are the one thing that stands between me and my rise to glory, Angel," he whispered to the dark city below him. "So come and deliver yourself to me."


End file.
